Ivy League 2009-10 Preview

Hoopville Player of the Year: Ryan Wittman, Sr. (Cornell)

Hoopville First Team All-Ivy
Ryan Wittman, F, Sr. (Cornell)
Zack Rosen, G, So. (Penn)
Jeff Foote, C, Sr. (Cornell)
Jeremy Lin, G, Sr. (Harvard)
Matt Mullery, F, Sr. (Brown)

1. Cornell Big Red (21-10 Overall, 11-3 Ivy League – 1st)

On the agenda: RPI boosters – Alabama Nov. 14, Legends Classic Nov. 18-Dec. 6 against (notables) UMass, Seton Hall (at home), Syracuse, St. Joe’s, at Kansas Jan. 6; the defense of the Ivy League begins Jan. 16 against Columbia.

Will they run away with it? Can they continue to play with a target on their back? Are they looking too far ahead with their non-conference schedule? These are the types of questions asked when looking for a kink in the proverbial front-runner armor.  On paper this team should end the season alone at the top of the Ivy League and in the NCAA tourney. This season belongs to Cornell and Cornell will have to beat themselves to give any other teams a chance.

This is not a reliable chance.  Steven Donahue enters his 10th season with all five starters returning from last year’s second straight Ivy title, so they have been positioned to win in the past and did.  Leading the way are two former Ivy League Player of the Year winners, Ryan Wittman and his 18.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, .416 three-point field goal percentage and Louis Dale with his 13.0 ppg and 4.3 rpg.  Defensive Player of the Year Jeff Foote not only controls the lane, he adds 11.8 ppg to the already potent offense.  The Big Red also added 6’9 Kentucky transfer Mark Coury to help clog the lane.

Cornell is stacked, and should have no issue with their Ancient Eight counterparts, but depending on how they compete against perennial national powers like Kansas and Syracuse, will let the rest of the nation know if they can be taken seriously come March.

2. Princeton Tigers (13-14, 8-6 – 2nd)

Games to nod your head slowly about: at George Washington Nov. 24, at Saint Joseph’s Jan. 2; conference play begins Jan. 29 at Brown

Playing for second: Sydney Johnson returns all five of his starters from a season ago to defend its second place finish. Sophomore Doug Davis led the team in scoring as a freshman (12.3 ppg) and junior Dan Mavraides should be the team’s best and most consistent shooter.

Kareem Maddox and Pavel Buczak anchor the Tigers’ frontcourt, but 6’7 freshman Ian Hummer is creating a lot of buzz and could see some playing time right away.

The Tigers are a young, but solid team.  If this were any other season the Tigers would be on their way to a three-year run of NCAA tournament bids. Former Ivy League Player of the Year turned coach Johnson knows what it takes to make the field of 65 (see UCLA ’96), but also knows there is a mountain to climb in Cornell. Last year the Tigers crushed Cornell in the teams’ first meeting, ending the Big Red’s 19-game winning streak, but couldn’t match the same effort in a late-season road game. This season it could be Cornell, Princeton and then everyone else, but the young Tigers will need to avoid the sophomore slump to be the best of the rest.

3. Penn Quakers (10-18, 6-8 – 7th)

Circled on the calendar: at Penn State Nov. 13, at Villanova Nov. 16, at Duke New Year’s Eve; Ivy league schedule begins Jan. 29 with Yale.

Jumping up the ranks? Any other season Glenn Miller would be touted as the coach who brought the once perennial Ivy League power back to the summit, but with Cornell standing in the way the Quakers are playing for second – this after posting their first Ivy League losing campaign since the 1990-91.  If Penn is able to return to the top third of the Ivy League they will rely heavily on junior Tyler Bernardini and sophomore Zack Rosen. As a freshman, Bernardini was sixth in the conference in scoring (13.7 ppg) and won Freshman of the Year Honors.  Rosen might be the best point guard in the conference.  Last season Rosen started every game and led the conference in assists (5.0).

The duo will need help in the interior.  Jack Eggleston (9.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg) should be the leader in the middle, but will need to build on his interior scoring. The 6’6 Rob Belcore must also become some kind of offensive threat to help Penn make a move forward.

Of all the teams expected to do well this season, Penn is relying most on potential rather than results.  This team comes and goes with Rosen, who must establish himself in both running the offense and hitting his own shots to avoid a collapse.

4. Harvard Crimson (14-14, 6-8 - 6th)

Brutal December stretch: at UConn, at Boston College, at Georgetown December 6, 9, and 23 respectively; league play begins against Dartmouth Jan. 23.

The motion picture Tommy: Expectations are high for Tommy Amaker and the Crimson. Harvard returns three starters from a season ago, when they defeated Boston College (who had just beaten then No. 1 and eventual NCAA Champion North Carolina) and league champion Cornell and also was second in the Ivy League in team scoring. Jeremy Lin filled the stat sheet last season (17 ppg 5.5 rpg, 4.3 apg) and is an early-season candidate for Player of the Year honors.

While the Crimson will make another leap forward they are still relatively young.  This season sophomores who made contributions in their first year are expected to carry a substantial load.  If 6’8 Keith Wright has a breakout season, Harvard might be in the mix for second.

This isn’t The Season for the Crimson, but the pieces are in place for a run at the upper third of the conference.

5. Yale Bulldogs (13-15, 8-6 – 3rd)

Key Matches: NIT season tip-off, at Providence December 21; league play begins hosting Brown Jan. 15.

I love your band; you guys Yale: The Bulldogs’ run of consistent success has not led to the conference’s lone NCAA bid (last dance 1962). This season, with the loss of two of its three top scorers, will be no different and their string of seven league wins or more might be in jeopardy.

But while Yale will slip some from last season they will have enough weapons to make a push for the future and remain relevant.  Alex Zampier (13.2 ppg) returns to lead James Jones’ offense.  Junior Garrett Fiddler will be charged with patrolling the middle and providing inside scoring, but will need to improve upon his 5.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg to make a significant difference.  Watch out for Michael Grace: the highly-touted freshman could move into the starting lineup before season’s end.

6. Columbia Lions (13-15, 7-7 – 4th)

Game on: season starts in the Big East against DePaul, at Syracuse Nov. 27; conference play begins Jan. 16 at defending champs Cornell.

116th and Broadway: Joe Jones’ will lean heavily on the return of two injured guards to inject life into an offense that ranked second-to-last in the Ivy League in scoring.  Seniors Patrick Foley and Niko Scott missed a total of 13 games last season and must stay healthy if the offense has any chance to match the team’s defensive intensity (the Lions allowed the second fewest points per game in the Ivy League in 2008-09).  Foley was the only Lion to average double digits last season, but has the ability to be turn the offense around if he plays every game.

In the middle, three players who were either injured or transferring should see meaningful minutes.  Both Asenso Ampim and Brian Grimes missed significant time last year (Grimes the entire season), but are now expected to contribute, while seven-footer Max Craig might see time immediately after transferring from Loyola Marymount.

If the defense stays true and Foley is able to come into his own, Columbia may accelerate through the ranks.  But without more made baskets the Lions will not be able to keep pace with its peers.

7. Brown Bears (9-19, 3-11 – 8th)

Bear of a non-conference sched: at Virginia Tech, Rhode Island, at St. John’s, at Minnesota, at Providence; league play begins at Yale Jan. 15.

How many games will Emma Watson attend: Second-year coach Jesse Agel’s squad isn’t messing around with the Bears’ nonconference schedule, which means Brown will find out early if they have help from their bench and a solution to their point guard quandary of a year ago.  Where the Bears remain strong is their starting frontcourt. Ivy League POY candidate Matt Mullery and junior Peter Sullivan return to light up the box scores from the four and five.

The question marks are elsewhere, primarily in a backcourt that last season lacked a reliable point guard. Garrett Leffelman and Marques Coleman both return from injury to complete for the job. The bench is major question mark number two.  Last season four of the team’s five starters averaged over 30 minutes per game and, with the Ivy League’s Friday-Saturday travel schedule, the inability to rest players may have cost Brown some W’s.

There is some inter-league parity from two through seven, so the Bears making a move isn’t just fantasy, but for this year’s campaign there might be too many “if’s” to see this move as a reality.

8. Dartmouth Big Green (9-19, 7-7 – 5th)

Games for Green: Begin the season at Boston College; league play starts at home with Harvard

Mouths of Dart: The loss of last season’s Ivy League Player of the Year Alex Barnett combined with a youth movement in Hanover means coach Terry Dunn (entering his sixth season) and his crew will most likely be stuck in the Ivy League cellar.  The Big Green return second-year players Jabari Trotter and David Rufful to carry the scoring load, but neither averaged double digits last season.

Barnett is gone (along with his 19 ppg) but so are his shots, which could mean breakout years for someone on offense, but where the Big Green will find rebounding, presence in the middle or a team identity is a major concern.  In the end this is a young rebuilding team and at least a year away from making an impact.

MAAC Preview

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2008-09 Preview

by Matthew Moll

Davidson Who?

The rest of the nation’s small schools have spent the off season recalling the run of a 10th-seeded team from North Carolina that was a basket away from the Final Four. MAAC teams lie awake and long to be the next Siena. Including Siena.

The Saints proved last season that MAAC teams have the talent to compete with the traditional powers after they handed Vanderbilt a 21-point defeat. But while the Saints are the prohibitive favorites for 2008-09 with the return of all five starters, they were still a team that needed to rally at times to get by many MAAC associates.

The NCAA tourney victory merely whetted the appetite of the Saints and of their foes. Last season Siena by no means dominated the conference, leaving the door open for MAAC teams to dream a big dream for March.

Year Three Coaches

Year three for college coaches is the season when the fans start to justify restlessness. The coach’s first batch of recruits should now be upper classmen and leaders. Justifiable or not, this team is now the coach’s identity. The time to wait for Ed Cooley (Fairfield), John Dunne (St. Peter’s), Tom Parrotta (Canisius), and Barry Rohrssen (Manhattan) may be running short and fans are looking for results.

Realistically, Dunne and Parrotta will not compete this year, but should be able to make people smile with signs away from past futility. For Cooley and Rohrssen the time to win is now.

Who will come forward?

If this were a 90s song about irony the guards would be the spoons and the bigs would be the knife everyone needed. Jason Thompson departed as a once-in-a-generation talent for the MAAC. Now the lanes are open, but they are still in need of filling. The projected top teams – Fairfield and Siena – each have players listed as forwards, but play more like guard-forward-tweener combos. If a less experienced team is able to shut down guard penetration with some inside help (i.e. Niagara) the MAAC could be looking at a shakeup.

Non-conference

This season MAAC schedule makers are not shy about testing their players. Both Fairfield and Siena are slated for tournaments with teams from major conferences. The Stags look to catch the Memphis Tigers early before they mesh and Siena will face both Pittsburg and Kansas before the conference schedule hits its stride. The Loyola Greyhounds will test the ACC waters against NC State and Duke before the start of 2009.

Hoopville All-MAAC Team
Jonathan Han, Fairfield
Ryan Thompson, Rider
Tyrone Lewis, Niagara
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena
Edwin Ubiles, Siena

MVP
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena

Newcomer
Novar Gadson, Rider

1. Siena Saints (23-11 Overall, 13-5 MAAC, 1st)
Projected starters: Ronald Moore, Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin, Josh Duell

Pivotal pivots: Old Spice Classic Nov. 27-30 (featuring Tennessee, Georgetown and Wichita State), at Pittsburgh Dec. Dec. 17, at St. Joseph’s Dec. 28, at Kansas Jan. 6.

Cliché target on cliché back: The Saints have made it known through their scheduling that they intend to make a move on the NCAA as a whole. But coach Fran McCaffery and his savvy vets will not look past the MAAC as it is clearly a single-bid conference. The only way to the promised land is through a MAAC tournament championship. Last season the Saints nearly coughed up a chance to play with the big boys, but held off a valiant effort from Loyola and handled Rider in the final to advance to the field of 65. This season they won’t have the chance to relax as their non-conference schedule will be bulletin board material for fellow MAACians.

But talent and experience shall rue the day as all five of last season’s Vandy upset starters return. Expect MAAC Tournament MVP Kenny Hasbrouck to walk away with regular season honors and expect his supporting cast meet the lofty expectations bestowed unto them.

2. Fairfield Stags (14-16, 11-7, 5th)
Projected starters: Jonathan Han, Herbie Allen, Anthony Johnson, Greg Nero, Warren Edney

Pivotal pivots: at Memphis Nov. 15, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Nov. 20-23 (featuring Virginia Tech, Xavier and Missouri)

Forward thinking: Solid guards and depth at forward is not a common theme throughout this MAAC preview. The Stags have one of the best guards in the MAAC in Jonathan Han, who can floor general and score. But Han will need Fairfield’s stacked frontcourt to dominate on both ends if they intend to earn the team’s first MAAC title in 11 years.

In Ed Cooley’s third season he now has the balance needed to compete when his guards have off nights and the bodies to grind out wins and wear down opponents. The non-conference scheduling will be no cupcake fest either as they lock up with perennial NCAA powers before taking on the MAAC.

Expect the Stags to be either in the NCAA tournament or a win away from it.

3. Niagara Purple Eagles (19-10, 12-6, 3rd)
Projected starters: Anthony Nelson, Tyrone Lewis, Rob Garrison, Bilal Benn, Benson Egemonye

Pivotal pivots: at Villanova Nov. 19

Four guard sets: Guards, guards and more guards. There will be times when the revamped Purple Eagles will have four on the floor and leave the rest to Benson Egemonye, the senior lane patroller who should lead the MAAC in blocks.

Anthony Nelson returns to run the show for Niagara after starting every game last season as a freshman. With the addition of athletic transfer Bilal Benn combined with the experience and talent of Tyrone Lewis, the Purple Eagles should be able to erase the loss of Charron Fisher’s 27 points a night.

The problem will be defense. While the multi-guard sets will allow Niagara to get out and run they will need to find a way other than Egemonye to make defensive stops and gather defensive rebounds.

Expect Niagara to score, win and lose in bunches.

4. Rider Broncos (23-11, 13-5, 2nd)
Projected starters: Justin Robinson, Harris Mansell, Ryan Thompson, Lamar Johnson, Mike Ringgold

Pivotal pivots: at St. Josephs Nov. 14, hosting Rutgers in Trenton Dec. 3, four consecutive MAAC road tests in mid January.

One Thompson down, one to go: The loss of all-everything Jason Thompson to the NBA Draft lottery was expected. Trying to recover what might have been was not. Last season the Broncos were expected to represent the MAAC in the NCAA tournament and instead had to settle for the CBI. This season virtually all key parts return with the exception of their man in the middle.

The Broncos will boast one of the most potent backcourts in the MAAC with Ryan Thompson and Harris Mansell filling up the scoring column all season, but they need a floor general. Thompson led the team in assists last season, but is more suited to hitting shots than hitting the open cutter.

It is possible a year removed from being chased the Broncos will relish the underdog role, but last season they had the guard play and had the size no other team could handle. Without that size it will be difficult for them to make the leap.

5. Loyola Greyhounds (19-10, 12-6, 4th)
Projected starters: Brian Rudolph, Marquis Sullivan, Brett Harvey, Jawaan Wright, Anthony Winbush

Pivotal pivots: at Boston College Nov. 17, at North Carolina State Dec. 29, at Duke New Year’s Eve.

Rebuild or reload: Under Jimmy Patsos the Greyhounds have become a team that can compete every season, but not break through to the league elite. Last season Loyola had the roster to make the jump in the standings, but the league was particularly strong at the top and most other years the Greyhounds would have celebrated their first NCAA trip.

This season Patsos will have the opportunity to show his ability to recruit and coach a now solid program. Whether this will be a rebuilding year or a reloading year will be the season’s theme. The Greyhounds have the talent, but could go either way. Loyola’s team full of guards look like a JV version of what Niagara will put on display – several strong guards, lots of fast breaks, very little interior defense.

6. Manhattan Jaspers (12-19, 5-13, 8th)
Projected starters: Antoine Pearson, Chris Smith, Devon Austin, Andrew Gabriel, and Jamel Ferguson

Pivotal pivots: Four consecutive MAAC home games in January could be a turning point.

The year of unchangedness: Barry Rohrssen returns nearly an identical team that languished at the bottom of the MAAC standings last season. And by virtue of other teams getting worse the Jaspers appear better.

The key will be contributions from the forwards, particularly senior Devon Austin and sophomore Andrew Gabriel. If this pair can complement the scoring of Antoine Pearson (last season’s leading scorer at 12.2 ppg) and Chris Smith, Manhattan might be able to make a move in the league. As it stands now expect the Jaspers to hover just above the rebuilding teams below, but just outside the MAAC upper echelon.

7. Iona Gaels (12-20, 8-10, 7th)
Projected starters: Scott Machado, Jermel Jenkins, Gary Springer, Devon, Clarke, Rashon Dwight

Pivotal pivots: at Wisconsin Nov. 21, at Ohio State Dec. 20, Manhattan at Madison Square Garden Jan. 24

Iron Willard: Last season the Gaels began the season much like the season before, with a 0-6 start. They ended the 2007-08 campaign with seven more wins in the MAAC than the previous campaign and 10 more wins overall.

This year the Gaels may have the toughest frontcourt in the MAAC. Gary Springer led the team in rebounds a season ago and fellow senior Devon Clarke will split his time at the three and the four.

Coach Kevin Willard will rely on two freshmen to carry the backcourt load in Scott Machado and Jermel Jenkins, so Gaels may again have a slow start, but Springer, Clarke and a healthy Alejo Rodriguez they have the ability finish in the upper half of the conference.

8. Marist Red Foxes (18-14, 11-7, 6th)
Projected starters: David Devezin, Ryan Schneider, Lawrence Williams, Korey Bauer, Dejuan Goodwin

Pivotal pivots: at Rutgers Nov 14, at Memphis Dec. 2

MAAC to Final Four back to MAAC: Last season Marist coach Chuck Martin was patrolling the sidelines in the NCAA final. Now the former John Calipari assistant is back to the conference where he once coached under the Bobby Gonzalez at Manhattan.

The Red Foxes are not just starting over with their coach; Marist lost three of their best players to graduation and their top scorer (Jay Gavin) to transfer. Junior David Devezin will be expected to carry the load at guard, but Red Foxes will need a boost from sharpshooter Ryan Schneider.

In the end, with the departure of coach Matt Brady and last season’s upperclassmen the Marist faithful should anticipate a down year.

9. Canisius Golden Griffins (6-25, 2-16, 10th)
Projected starters: Frank Turner, Greg Logins, Tomas Vasquez-Simmons, Jovan Robinson, Elton Frazier

Pivotal pivots: at Washington State Nov. 25, at Syracuse Dec 17. Toughest league test will be four straight MAAC road games at the end of January.

Limited Upward Mobility: Coach Tom Parrotta is yet another member of “coaches in crucial year three” with virtually the same team from a year ago that finished last in the MAAC. The last-place finish was the first time in 16 years the Golden Griffins failed to avoid the bottom of the league.

The Griffs are a year older and in theory this means more wins, particularly in a league slated to again have parity in the lower half.

Frank Turner returns to be the floor leader both in scoring and running the offense. If recent MAAC history is any indication having your point guard lead your team in points and assists does not lead to regular or post-season success (see Clark, Kee-Kee, St. Peter’s). If Canisius intends to move beyond the confines of the lower half of the standings, someone other than Turner must establish consistent scoring.

10. St. Peter’s Peacocks (6-24, 3-15, 9th)
Projected Starters: Wesley Jenkins, Nick Leon, Darrell Lampley, Akeem Gooding, Ryan Bacon

Pivotal pivots: Rutgers on Nov. 30, Seton Hall Dec. 13.

The journey backwards: The Peacocks are young and small, which is the opposite formula to be successful in the experienced, guard heavy MAAC. Third year coach John Dunne has a light middle – both frontcourt starters tilt the scales at a generous 215.

The loss of Todd Sowell (graduation) will be evident as the young Peacocks will most likely not improve at the same rate as the rest of the league.

The Verdict

Those unfamiliar with the MAAC see Siena and then everyone else. Those familiar know the conference is usually split in half and the teams in the top half will jockey for position until the final tip.

The MAAC is Siena’s to lose, but teams in the top five do have weapons to bring the Saints back to earth. This is the McCaffery’s last shot with this team; they were able to dance a year earlier then expected, but now it is expected. Anything less than the NCAA should be considered a disappointment.

Siena is not the only team facing a potential letdown. A stable of third-year coaches are on the unspoken hot seat as programs and fan bases get antsy. But all roads to Albany must go through Loudonville for MAAC supremacy.

Quarterfinal Notes From Rumble In The Bronx

Rumble in the Bronx Quarterfinal Notes

by Matthew Moll

BRONX, N.Y. – Before the Rumble in the Bronx turned into a literal rumble, a few players from one of the quarterfinal games stood out.

Playaz

Brian Oliver, Oak Hill Academy – At times Oliver was the best athlete on the floor on the offensive side of the ball. Oliver displayed flashes of dominance with his ability to shoot, run the break and play above the rim. By the semifinal game of the Rumble in the Bronx Oliver’s defense consisted of the occasional block and a lot of reaching and a lot of looks of exhaustion. Oliver proved has the ability to play both sides of the ball and can dominate games when the rock is in his hands. Oliver has received plenty of major Division I interest and has verbally committed to Georgia Tech.

Dominic Cheek, St. Anthony’s – New Jersey native Cheek showed both defensive and offensive range, hitting threes and altering shots with his leaping ability and defensive footwork. Cheek clearly can run an offense, and when the offensive stagnated he easily created his own shot. Cheek managed 22 points in the 73-62 loss.

Gauchos

Durand Scott, Rice HS – Scott is listed at 6’4″ but was able to secure the lane with the ease of a natural big throughout the semi-final contest, altering shots and sending others back before they could reach the rim. Scott’s quickness allowed him to close gaps easily, which made open looks turn into contested shots or blocks. Scott did tend to over-dribble on offense. His over-dribbling usually led to either a brick or a wild missed layup. Scott’s offense flourished when he would move without ball in the half court and when he filled the lanes on the break.

Russell Smith, Archbishop Molloy HS – Smith was listed at a generous 5’10″ but his size did not stop him from attacking the lane for a series of runners, floaters and passes that led to layups. In the second half Smith’s speed and quickness in the lane gave the Gauchos the edge they needed to pull away. The guard did have trouble staying on the floor and eventually fouled out. Most of his fouls were the result of reach-ins and defensive mistakes. But Smith overall was an offensive gem. He ran the break, the half court sets and created shots for himself with relative ease against his larger opponents and finished with 24 points.

MAAC Recap

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2007-08 Season Recap

by Matthew Moll

How the MAAC interrupted your Office Pool

Everyone likes cheering for the little guy and the MAAC is a conference filled with little guy-esque schools.

This season the Siena Saints embodied the role of David slaying two of the NCAA’s goliaths – one on the sport’s largest stage.

Siena is located in Loundonville, a hamlet just outside of Albany, New York and boasts an enrollment of about 3,000. The Saints’ first victim was the Stanford Cardinal, the first ranked team Siena has defeated since 1989 – coincidentally, Stanford.

Several months later, the Saints dispatched the Commodores of Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Tampa, Florida earned the title of “Upset Central,” sending a pair of 12 and 13 seeds to the field of 32. Siena’s 83-62 handling of the Commodores was the largest margin of victory by a 13 seed over a four seed since Navy defeated LSU in 1985.

The Regular Season

The MAAC regular season surprised few; young teams floundered while experience ruled the day. By midseason five teams were within striking distance, although three teams – Siena, Rider and Niagara – were at the front of the pack. By season’s end six teams were making a run at the MAAC regular season crown and the league’s number one tournament seed. The Fairfield Stags, a non-factor earlier in the season, caught fire late and strung together six conference wins. Their final overall record reflected a period of futility, but their conference total was merely two games short of the top spot.

But the regular season went to the favored Saints who owned the tiebreaker over the Rider Broncos. Siena was able to lock in the MAAC tournament’s number-one seed despite dropping two of their last three conference games.

MAAC Tournament

The tournament saw two upsets. Canisius continued to shine in the first round of the tournament, ousting Iona 64-59.

In the quarterfinals Marist, last season’s regular season champs, bounced Niagara, last season’s NCAA tournament rep, 66-62.

The MAAC tournament concluded the way the seeding intended: number one Siena versus number two Rider. But both the Saints and the Broncos had scares in the semifinals. The Saints held off fourth-seeded Loyola 65-63 to advance, while Rider snuck by Marist 76-71.

In the end the buildup to the final was hampered by a pair of injuries to Rider’s big guns. The Saints took advantage and ended the game early, taking the MAAC tournament crown with a 74-53 win.

NCAA and CBI

Both Siena and Rider turned their 20-plus wins into postseason births.

Siena’s convincing run through the MAAC tournament spilled into the first round of 65. No. 13 seed Siena trounced the No. 4 seed Vanderbilt Commodores 83-62 for the first NCAA tournament win for a MAAC team since Manhattan did it in 2004. The Saints could not sustain their upset ways against 12th-seeded Villanova, as the Wildcats ended Siena’s season 72-84 in Tampa.

Rider’s regular season earned the group an invitation to the inaugural College Basketball Invitational tournament. The Broncos fell to Old Dominion in the first round of the CBI 68-65. Ryan Thompson led the Broncos with 24 points.

Hardware

Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)
Co-Rookies of the Year: Brian Rudolph (Loyola), Jay Gavin (Marist)
Coach of the Year: Tommy Dempsey (Rider)
Sixth Player of the Year: Marquis Sullivan (Loyola)
Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)

First Team: Gerald Brown (Loyola), Charron Fisher (Niagara), Jason Thompson (Rider), Kenny Hasbrouck (Siena), Edwin Ubiles (Siena)

Second Team: Jonathan Han (Fairfield), Tyrone Lewis (Niagara), Ryan Thompson (Rider), Todd Sowell (Saint Peter’s), Alex Franklin (Siena)

1. Siena Saints (23-11 Overall, 13-5 MAAC)

The upset dance: The Saints returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002, and again came away with a victory. But unlike their win in 2002 it was an upset win over an SEC juggernaut rather than a play-in victory with the privilege to be a number-16 seed.

Siena started their march to the NCAA Tournament with a solid regular season, besting the preseason favorites Rider to earn the MAAC tournament the number-one seed. The Saints managed their highest win total (23) since 2000 (24), which included the team’s first win over a ranked opponent since 1989 when they defeated an eventual Sweet 16 team in Stanford 79-67. The Saints rode the number one seed all the way to the MAAC finals and into the NCAA Tournament.

Kenny Hasbrouck’s 30 points and Tay Fisher’s perfect 6-6 from three land forced Vanderbilt, a Sweet 16 team from a season ago, to make off-season plans as the Saints pounded the number-four seed 83-62. The Saints could not stop Villanova two nights later, ending their season with an 84-72 loss.

Team MVP: Kenny Hasbrouck 17.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.7 apg
Top Scorer: Edwin Ubiles 17.0 ppg
Top Rebounder: Alex Franklin 7.8 rpg
Top Assists: Ronald Moore 5.3 apg

Starters leaving: Tay Fisher (graduation)

News: Chris De la Rosa transferred.

Key players returning: Hasbrouck, Franklin, Moore, Ubiles

Can they do it again: Siena has the chance to return to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season with the return of everyone significant but Fisher. If they do return they will be the first MAAC team since Manhattan in 2003 and 2004, but the Saints could do the Jaspers one better and have tournament victories in two straight tourneys.

2. Rider Broncos (23-11, 13-5)

Pressure was on: As the preseason favorites with the preseason player of the year the Broncos came into 2007-08 on the MAAC’s radar. Up until the final game of the MAAC Tournament, Rider did not disappoint. Jason Thompson dominated both the glass and the paint throughout the conference schedule. But in the MAAC Tourney final, Thompson was not enough as Broncos were forced to settle for the CBI falling to fellow regular season champ Siena 74-53.

Rider was unable to recover from the loss in the CBI, losing in the first round 68-65 to Old Dominion.

Team MVP: Jason Thompson 20.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 2.7 apg
Top Scorer: J. Thompson
Top Rebounder: J. Thompson
Top Assists: Ryan Thompson 3.4 apg

Starters leaving: J. Thompson (graduation)

Key players returning: R. Thompson, Harris Mansell, and Justin Robinson

Outlook for next season: With Jason Thompson exhausting his eligibility coach Tommy Dempsey is much like every other MAAC coaches – guard-heavy and looking for size. Expect the Broncos to take a dip next season.

3. Niagara Purple Eagles (19-10, 12-6)

Early exit: Last season’s MAAC NCAA tournament representative showed signs of its recent success during the regular season, nearly earning Joe Mihalich his second consecutive 20-win season. Niagara could not get going against Marist after earning a first round bye in the MAAC Tournament. No offense meant no repeat for the defending champs.

Team MVP: Charron Fisher 27.6 ppg, 9.5
Top Scorer: Fisher
Top Rebounder: Fisher
Top Assists: Nelson

Starters leaving: Fisher and Stanley Hodge (graduation)

Key players returning: Anthony Nelson, Tyrone Lewis, Benson Egemonye

Outlook for next season: The loss of Fisher leaves a 27.6 point hole in the Eagles offense. Nelson and Egemonye both need to step up their scoring, but have the inside-outside combination to stay competitive in the MAAC.

4. Loyola Greyhounds (19-10, 12-6)

Getting closer: Jimmy Patsos’ first graduating class leaves Loyola with the most wins for a class and the largest single-season win total since the Nixon administration. The Greyhounds’ turnaround continued this season as they nearly captured a share of the MAAC crown. In the postseason Loyola reached the semifinals of the MAAC Tourney for the second time in as many years, but fell just a basket short of advancing to its first MAAC final.

Team MVP: Gerald Brown 18.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg
Top Scorer: Brown
Top Rebounder: Michael Tuck 7.2 rpg
Top Assists: Brian Rudolph 4.3 apg

Starters leaving: Brown and Tuck (graduation)

Key players returning: Brett Harvey and Rudolph

Outlook for next season: After yet another season of improvement, Loyola is in need of turning the corner before it can be considered a perennial MAAC force. The return of Harvey and Rudolph gives the Greyhounds the guard tandem necessary for MAAC success and Omari Isreal has the size and ability to dominate the MAAC middle.

5. Fairfield Stags (14-16, 11-7)

Pulling the ol’ above-below .500: The Fairfield Stags could not manage to win more than they lost, but were still the fifth-best MAAC team because of their strong conference play. The Stags recovered from an early season six-game losing streak thanks in some part to a late season seven-game surge which included six conference wins to conclude the regular season.

Team MVP: Jonathan Han 11.7 ppg, 6.2 apg
Top Scorer: Han
Top Rebounder: Anthony Johnson 7.3 rpg
Top Assists: Han

Starters leaving: None

Key players returning: Han, Johnson, Warren Edney

Outlook for next season: Second-year head coach Ed Cooley was able to inspire the young Stags to close out the regular season with seven straight victories. Virtually the same group returns and Cooley another season wiser. The Stags may look to threaten the top next season.

6. Marist Red Foxes (18-14, 11-7)

Continuing the winning: The Red Foxes were not able to match their success of last season’s MAAC regular season championship, but they did exceed expectations by posting their third consecutive season of 18 wins or more. Marist’s season was highlighted by two different five-game winning streaks.

The Red Foxes’ defense allowed a MAAC-low 68 points per game. It was this defense that stifled the high scoring Niagara Purple Eagles’ offense and led the Red Foxes into the next round.

Team MVP: Louie McCroskey 12.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Top Scorer: Jay Gavin 12.3 ppg.
Top Rebounder: Spongey Benjamin 6.9 rpg
Top Assists: David Devezin 4.3 apg

Starters leaving: McCroskey (graduation), Ryan Stilphen (graduation), Benjamin (graduation)

Key players returning: Gavin, Devezin

News: Former head coach Matt Brady exits to James Madison University. In his place is former John Calipari assistant Chuck Martin. Martin has added to his staff Paul Lee, formerly an assistant at Northwestern and Tyrone Weeks, also from Memphis.

Outlook for next season: Matt Brady exits after leading the Red Foxes to its first outright MAAC crown in 2006-2007, the same year he was named MAAC’s coach of the year. New coach Chuck Martin takes over a team that has won over 18 games for three consecutive seasons. Through Brady’s successful tenure his teams did not win a MAAC Tournament or advance to the NCAAs.

7. Iona Gaels (12-20, 8-10)

Where there is a Willard: First-year head coach Kevin Willard and the Gaels added 10 wins to the previous season’s tally, including seven more MAAC wins. While the season did end in improvement on last year’s debacle, it began with an ominous 0-7 start. But the young Gaels never flirted with last year’s losses and managed two three-game winning streaks. The season was highlighted by a sweep of the season series of their MAAC and in-state rival Manhattan.

Team MVP: Dexter Gray 11.3 ppg. 5.2 rpg, 1.3 apg
Top Scorer: Gray
Top Rebounder: Gary Springer 7.7 rpg
Top Assists: Kyle Camper 3.8 apg

Starters leaving: Camper (graduation), Gray (graduation)

Key players returning: Milan Prodanovic, Rashon Dwight, De’Shaune Griffin, Gary Springer

News: De’Shaune Griffin, Kevin Hassett and Andre Tarver were all released from the program.

Outlook for next season: Willard returns only one of his three double-digit scorers and the team – with the exception of Springer – is young. Springer will need to use his size in the middle to take advantage of smaller MAAC opponents, but he needs to stay on the floor longer and produce more on the offensive end. Rashon Dwight emerged as a playmaker and may be asked to take on more of the ball-handling.

8. Manhattan Jaspers (12-19, 5-13)

First time in a long time: For the first time since the 1998-99 season the Manhattan Jaspers finished a season as a sub-.500 team in the MAAC. The Jaspers struggled to find their footing, failing to win more than two games in a row and at one point dropping eight consecutive games – all during conference play. Barry Rohrssen’s second season did produce his first MAAC Tournament win, besting the St. Peter’s Peacocks.

Team MVP: Antoine Pearson 12.2 ppg, 2.3 apg
Top Scorer: Pearson
Top Rebounder: Rashad Green 5.0 rpg
Top Assists: Pearson

Starters leaving: none

Key players returning: Pearson, Devon Austin

Outlook for next season: The Jaspers lack size with experience, and with their best rebounder tipping the scales at 195 on his 6’4″ frame it is clear they need to find something in the middle from Devin Austin. Without support from the interior the guard tandem of Pearson and Chris Smith will need to find other ways to score.

9. St. Peter’s Peacocks (6-24, 3-15)

About the same: Second-year head coach John Dunne and the young Peacocks managed the identical MAAC win total from a season ago and only a marginal improvement in the overall win column (six compared to five from 2007). The season was highlighted by a victory over their larger, more renowned intrastate rival Rutgers, the first since 1995. But after evening their record to 2-2, St. Peter’s dropped 14 of their next 16 games, including two seven-game losing streaks. The postseason has brought no relief as the Peacocks were sent home in the first round for the second straight season.

Team MVP: Todd Sowell 12.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg., 2.2 blocks per game
Top Scorer: Wesley Jenkins 13.0 ppg.
Top Rebounder: Sowell
Top Assists: Nick Leon apg

Starters leaving: Sowell (graduation), Raul Orta (graduation)

Key players returning: Leon, Jenkins, Darrell Lampley, Akeem Gooding

Outlook for next season: The Peacocks return five of their top seven players who logged the most minutes played from a year ago. Four of these players were freshman and will have the opportunity to improve as a unit over the next three years. But the young group only managed one road win last season and managed the worst assist-to-turnover ratio in the MAAC at 0.64.

10. Canisius Golden Griffins (6-25, 2-16)

Win total halved: The Golden Griffins’ 16-year refusal to dwell at the bottom of the MAAC standings ended thanks to tallying exactly half of last season’s win total and earning only one MAAC victory during the regular season. Second year coach Tom Parrotta’s second losing season is the team’s seventh consecutive. However, Canisius did manage its eighth-straight opening round win in the MAAC Tournament, ousting Iona 64-59.

Team MVP: Frank Turner 12.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.6 apg
Top Scorer: Turner
Top Rebounder: Greg Loggins 5.5 rpg
Top Assists: Turner

Starters leaving: none

Key players returning: Turner, Loggins, Tomas Vazquez-Simmons

Outlook for next season: Loggins and Vazquez-Simmons are a promising frontline, but both are thin and not accustomed to scoring. Outside of Turner, one of the best passers in the MAAC, the Griffins were without a double-digit scorer, meaning many of his assists were in the hands of the league’s worst shooting team. Canisius must find someone for Turner to feed in order to utilize their best player, or they can expect to revisit the cellar next season.

MAAC Outlook for 2008-09

Much like 2007-08, the MAAC will be a tale of two divergent groups – those in contention and those who are not. No one team will run away with the MAAC crown, but the distinction will be clear by midseason which five teams are competing and which five are preparing for 2010.

Fairfield appears ready to contend while Rider, Niagara and Loyola may have lost too much.

St. Peter’s and Canisius do not appear to be ready to relinquish their place at the back of the line while the rest of the MAAC will be seesaw-like through conference play.

Last year’s winners must be next year’s favorites. Fran “Mr. Turnaround” McCaffery has coached a six-win team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Saints look set to become the MAAC’s version of a mini-dynasty.

Columbia’s Senior Weekend

Final Home Calls For Columbia Seniors

by Matthew Moll

NEW YORK – Columbia’s Joe Jones has described his fifth men’s basketball team as the “grind-it out type” and a defensively focused team, juxtaposing them with last season’s 12th-best three-point shooting team’s style.

Senior weekend highlighted both the peaks and valleys of the team’s makeup.

In Friday’s victory over Harvard, 61-54, the Lions netted zero threes and are down to 33 percent, compared to last season where they shot over 40 from beyond the arc. A night later in the 63-47 loss to Dartmouth, Columbia could not muster a signature stop and didn’t have the firepower to counter runs from the Big Green on senior night.

For the Lions, the 14th win of the season came by way of following the script they have tried to implement all season.

“We have had a hard time at times getting both guys going,” Jones said, referring to senior post players Ben Nwachukwu and John Baumann. “Very rarely have both guys played great. John is really at his best in the paint, so we have tried to run sets to find ways to get both in the post.”

Friday both bigs flourished. Nwachukwu’s 6’8″, 235-pound frame flummoxed the opposition, forcing Harvard’s forwards into foul trouble. With the Crimson’s middle reeling, the game freed up for both Nwachukwu and Baumann. Nwachukwu finished the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

“The way Ben played was awesome,” said Baumann, who netted 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. “You could tell they wanted to double-team him and he still made shots over the double teams, which opened it up for me.”

But on senior night, Nwachukwu was held to five points on five field goal attempts in the failed comeback effort. The Lions allowed Dartmouth to tear through the second half and shoot over 50 percent from the field.

After Friday’s win, Jones said he hoped his players would not overlook the remaining schedule and he was not quite ready to talk about the season being over.

“This group has gone through so much, done so much for program,” said Jones after Friday night’s win. “But it is not time to reflect now. We still have two more games.”

Whether the Lions were distracted by the ceremonies of Senior Night or by overcoming double-digit deficits against league rivals on consecutive nights is unclear, but Jones doesn’t plan to address the end of this era until the end of the season.

The six seniors – Justin Armstrong, Baumann, Brett Loscalzo, Mack Montgomery, Nwachukwu and Kashif Sweet – are the winningest class since 1981-82, currently at 53 wins, and are the first class Jones recruited. They also boast the school’s most recent first team All-Ivy Leaguer in Baumann, a distinction a Columbia player hasn’t earned since 2000. All while Columbia was supposed to be “rebuilding.”

But to the players this success was no surprise.

“Every one of us came from winning programs from high school,” said Montgomery, who was an all-state performer at Clayton High School in North Carolina. “We expected nothing less than to turn this program around.”

The Lions can match their win total from a season ago (16), which was the school’s highest output since 1992-93, and in the process could eclipse their .500 Ivy League record and end the season at 9-5.

In the end, though, the senior class is introspective about what might have been.

“We know that we had talent,” Montgomery said. “It’s not a shock we won these games.”

“As a matter of fact, we probably think we should have won more.”

The seniors are clearly a tight-knit group, proud of their accomplishments, but still able to give one of their own light-hearted grief for being “downer” in their observations.

“The program still has a long way to go,” Nwachukwu said. “The ultimate goal is to win a championship. When you don’t do that, you always fall short.”

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

Here is a look at the MAAC conference so far this season.

Rider Broncos (14-6 Overall, 7-2 MAAC)

Tied for first: Six straight W’s propelled the Broncos into first place with Marist. Rider, who began the MAAC schedule with at 1-2 record, is now at the top of the standings as the MAAC world eyes an all-out slugfest showdown with Marist on Jan. 30. The Broncos are lead by all-everything forward Jason Thomspon, who is averaging 20.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. His brother Ryan is the team’s leading assist man dishing over four assists per game. Rider’s margin of victory is the best in the MAAC, outscoring their adversaries by just over eight points per contest.

Battle for the top: at Saint Peter’s Jan. 27, at Marist Jan. 30, at Siena Feb. 2.

Marist Red Foxes (13-7, 7-2)

Wouldn’t call it a roll, but it’s a roll: Marist enters the weekend winning seven of their last eight games and recently rolled past two MAAC opponents. Matt Brady’s Red Foxes have not missed a beat since losing the nation’s assist leader and the team’s three highest scorers. Jay Gavin and Louie McCroskey have paced the offense at 13.4 and 12.4 ppg. respectively while David Devezin engineers it, leading the team in assists. Marist’s defense might be what pushes them into the field of 65 this season as they are able to hold their opponents to 68.7 ppg., second in the MAAC.

A challenge will be ahead as McCroskey will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his foot.

Protecting the regular season crown: Canisius on Jan. 27 and Rider on Jan. 20 in Poughkeepsie, at Siena on Feb. 2.

Siena Saints (12-7, 7-2)

Getting their wins in chunks: The Saints saw a winning streak halted at four by Loyola on Jan. 24, experiencing their largest conference loss of the season 85-56. The non-conference part of this season was highlighted by the Saints’ Nov. 17 win over then 20th-ranked Stanford, the first win over a ranked opponent under coach Fran McCaffery. Before the Loyola loss the Saints previous loss came in the closing seconds to Fairfield 53-52.

Siena leads the MAAC in scoring at 77.4 ppg. Edwin Ubiles leads the Saints, going for 16.6 ppg followed by Kenny Hasbrouck at 15.1 ppg. Siena labors on the glass and is currently the worst offensive and defensive rebounding team in the MAAC. Opponents out-rebound the Saints by about four rebounds per game.

Battle with the upper third: at Iona on Jan. 27, Rider on Feb. 2 and Marist on Feb. 4 in Albany.

Niagara Purple Eagles (12-6, 6-3)

Dance dance? The Purple Eagles are a blowout road loss out of first place in the MAAC and are in position to make a second consecutive tournament run. Niagara is led by the nation’s leading scorer in Charron Fisher, who averages 27.5 ppg and is also third in the MAAC in rebounds at 9.1 per. The Purple Eagles so far this season are the most prolific outside shooters in the MAAC in averaging just over eight makes per game.

The black and purple: at Fairfield Jan. 27, hosting Loyola on Feb. 1 and Loyola on Feb. 10.

Loyola Greyhounds (10-10, 6-3)

On pace for best under Pastos: Loyola is in the middle of a three-game winning streak, with two of those wins coming over teams in the fight for MAAC supremacy. Senior Gerald Brown leads the Greyhounds with 18.4 ppg, which is good for third in the conference. The Greyhounds’ most recent win was a 32-point basting of Siena. The Hounds can be turnover-prone, as their Jan. 13 loss to Fairfield proved where they booted 20 to the Stags. Overall Loyola has the third-worst turnover margin in the MAAC.

Others seeing Grey? at Manhattan Jan. 26, at New Jersey Institute Jan. 29, at Niagara Feb. 1.

Fairfield Stags (7-12, 5-4)

Keeping it close: The Stags may be two down in the win/loss columns, but they have kept each conference loss respectable. Fairfield’s MAAC losses are on average by less than six points, with only one loss being by double-digits (to Siena) and one they would later avenge. Fairfield’s defense, despite being the best scoring defense in the MAAC, still allows more (68.5) than the offense scores (62.6). The offense is led by its lone double-digit scorer Jonathan Han, who averages about 11 points per game.

Can close the gap on the road: Hosting Niagara on Jan. 27, at Canisius on Feb. 1, and at Niagara Feb 3.

Iona Gaels (7-14, 3-6)

Already more than last season: A year ago the Gaels were the last Division I team to win a basketball game. This season Iona has managed a winning streak that equaled one more than last season’s total victory output (three). First-year head coach Kevin Willard has rapidly turned around a team that endured the worst season in school history. Also a first: senior Dexter Gray has paced the Jaspers with 11.6 ppg in his first season as a full-time starter. Although the Gaels are out of the dregs of the MAAC, they have dropped their last two and suffered a mid-season five-game losing streak.

Seeking double digits: Hosting Siena on Jan. 27, at Manhattan on Jan. 30, at St. Peter’s Feb. 1.

Manhattan Jaspers (8-11, 2-7)

If they shot from the Chrysler Building they wouldn’t hit concrete: The Jaspers are currently in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the team’s longest of the season. Manhattan’s struggles are on both sides of the ball, playing up or down to the competition. In two games against MAAC leader Rider, the Jaspers scored at least 80 points in the two losses, but for the season the Jaspers are seventh in the league in scoring, the worst three-point shooting team in the conference and do not have a single player who averages double-digits. On the defensive side the Jaspers give up 76.2 points per game, the highest output by opponents in the MAAC.

Rookie Rashad Green has shown signs of good things to come while also keeping the Jaspers out of MAAC cellar.

Next games: hosting Loyola Jan. 26, hosting Iona at Madison Square Garden, at St. Peter’s on Super Sunday.

St. Peter’s Peacocks (4-15, 1-8)

Near bottom: The Peacocks have lost six consecutive games dating back to January 6th. St. Peter’s lone league win came in a battle to avoid the bottom with the team who currently occupies the last spot in the MAAC standings. Despite having one of the top scorers and the second-best rebounder in the conference in Todd Sowell, the Peacocks are the third-worst scoring team in the conference and are consistently out-rebounded. The Peacocks have a string of three MAAC home games where they will attempt to clot the current bleeding.

Game time: hosting Rider on Jan. 27, then Iona (ESPNU) on Feb. 1, and Manhattan on Feb. 3.

Canisius Golden Griffins (3-16, 1-8)

Finally beat Niagara: The Golden Griffins have toiled in the bottom half of the MAAC since the 2001-02 season finishing no better than fifth each of those seasons. But despite the less than favorable finishes Canisius managed to avoid the cellar each of those seasons. Last year the Golden Griffins tallied more wins than the prior, but the upward trend seems to have stopped. The Griffs are the worst team in the league in scoring – the only team in the league with under 60 points per game at 56.4 – and are at the bottom of the MAAC in field goal percentage.

It could get worse: at Marist Jan. 27, at home against Fairfield on Feb. 2 and Loyola on Feb. 3.

MAAC Preview

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2007-08 Preview

by Matthew Moll

The cyclical nature of amateur sports is painstakingly pronounced in college basketball. This is particularly true in a conference like the MAAC, where small schools, their fans and coaches begrudgingly assume some peak or valley every two to four years. No right-minded fan would foolishly foresee half a decade of dominance.

Just two seasons ago Iona was on top of the MAAC world, giving eventual Final Four participants a scare in the first half of the NCAA tournament game. A season later they are the last team in the nation to win a game and they would only win one other. Jeff Ruland’s rise to “Coach of the Year” that was immediately followed by “floundering and desperate for a win” and led the distinction of a “bought out contract” may have been the starkest anti-turnaround in MAAC history. This season Iona is still young and with a new coach, but not with much higher expectations.

Two seasons ago St. Peter’s was a win away from the NCAAs and had the MAAC’s most potent scorer forcing their tempo. Last season the Peacocks were listless on offense and unlisted in the standings, racking up less than five conference wins. This season virtually the same team returns with the only place to go is last rather than second last as their highest expectation.

Expectations are reserved for other teams. One such team was considered a lame duck two seasons ago and too young a season later, while another boasted the peculiarity of never having a winning season for a decade.

Siena for the past two seasons pummeled prognosticators’ pre-season predictions and vaulted themselves into the meaningless number-one standing before the first tip-off polls. But the Saints are on notice and rightfully so after dispatching last season’s MAAC regular season champ with little regard for said polls in the 2007 MAAC Tournament.

Resuscitated by a former Maryland Terp in Jimmy Patsos, Loyola’s program and fan base can realistically think about dancing for the first time since the turn of the century.

But as the MAAC cycle continues to turn look for many of the same interested parties to make a run as well. Rider has a formidable team anchored by Jason Thompson and Manhattan is young but quick. Few will look past the lurking NCAA single-bid rep from last season. Niagara could easily leapfrog either Loyola or Siena and have last season’s NCAA run to prove what few question: in college basketball its not where you start, its how hot you are when you finish.

Hoopville Preseason Awards

First Team
Gerald Brown, Loyola Sr. G
Charron Fisher, Niagara Sr. G/F
Tyrone Lewis, Niagara Sr. G
Jason Thompson, Rider Sr. F
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena Jr. G

Second Team
Frank Turner, Canisius So.
Marquis Sullivan, Loyola Jr.
Devon Austin, Manhattan Jr.
Louie McCroskey, Marist Sr.
Ryan Stilphen, Marist Sr. F/C

Player of the Year
Jason Thompson

Defensive Player of the Year
Jason Thompson

Top Newcomer
Clarence Jackson, Siena, G

1. Siena Saints (20-12 overall, 12-6 MAAC)
Projected Starters: Kenny Hasbrouck, Ronald Moore, Edwin Ubiles (if/when he returns), Alex Franklin, Cory Magee

Significant games: at Syracuse on Nov. 12, NIT Season Tip-Off Nov. 12-13, ESPN BracketBusters Feb. 23.

The best before it starts: Before the indefinite suspension of Ubiles, the Saints needed to replace Michael Haddix’s points and intangibles per game. Now with Ubiles potentially out for the first half of the year, nearly 30 points per game are missing from last season’s MAAC Tournament final team.

But Mr. Rebuild-a-Program Fran McCaffery still has his floor general in Ronald Moore, his indispensable glue-guy Kenny Hasbrouck and a team that showed off-the-charts moxie playing against more experienced teams in last season’s MAAC tourney. While the Saints have shown what they can do in the postseason the teams below lurk with extended regular season success on their resumes.

2. Loyola Greyhounds (18-13, 12-6)
Projected Starters: Gerald Brown, Omari Israel, Marquis Sullivan, Brett Harvey, Michael Tuck

Team versus Team: At Seton Hall Nov. 20, at Illinois Dec. 28, at Kansas Jan. 8, BracketBusters Feb. 23.

Goat no more: Jimmy Patsos has erased a decade’s worth of ineptitude in his four seasons at the helm of the Greyhounds. This season Loyola returns the MAAC’s most prolific scorer and a prohibitive MAAC first teamer in Gerald Brown. The Providence transfer went for 22.2 per contest and has a cast of seasoned vets on the cusp of capturing MAAC greatness.

The Greyhounds have no glaring weaknesses on the perimeter (where they are exceptional) or at the four and five. The potential tail-between-the-legs for the Hounds is its lack of postseason success and what has them looking up in the preseason standings.

3. Niagara Purple Eagles (23-12, 13-5)
Projected starters: Charron Fisher, Stanley Hodge, Tyrone Lewis, Andrew Patterson, Benson Egemonye

Sea of Purple: at St. John’s Dec. 15, ESPN BracketBuster Feb. 23.

Stage set for back-to-back: Charron Fisher is healthy and back for the Purple Eagles, who look to be the first team to reach the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons since Bobby Gonzalez’s 2003 and 2004 Manhattan teams.

Joe Mihalich has one of the fiercest weapons in the MAAC in Fisher and a team playing with a chip on its shoulder after the sub-field of 65 seeding a tournament ago. Stanley Hodge will be near the top of the MAAC in assists, and if he can emerge as a leader Niagara could match last season’s late season magic.

4. Rider Broncos (16-15, 9-9)
Projected Starters: Jason Thompson, Harris Mansel, Lamar Johnson, Ryan Thompson, Joel Green

Not from Denver: ESPN Old Spice Classic Nov. 22-25, at Rutgers Dec. 27, ESPN BracketBuster Feb. 23.

Potentially a letdown: Full season number two for Tommy Dempsey starts with Jason Thompson, the default favorite for MAAC POY, on top of everyone’s list. Thompson is a force in the middle in a league shallow in the lane. Last season Thompson nearly averaged a double-double but could not push his team past the .500 mark in the MAAC, but this year a winning season is for the taking.

Thompson will attract double teams opening the floor for his sharp-shooting younger brother, but the Broncos are without their playmaker of yesteryear in Terrance Mouton and will need someone to feed Thompson the ball. Otherwise, the revered senior will exit the MAAC without the spoils of the post-season success.

5. Manhattan Jaspers (13-17, 10-8)
Projected Starters: Devon Austin, Patrick Bouli, Antoine Pearson, Herve Bangole, Andrew Gabriel

Highlighted highlights: hosting Fordham Nov. 28 and the BracketBuster on Feb. 23.

Youth Movement: The first season of the Barry Rohrssen era ended in a surprising fourth place MAAC finish and the team looked to return each of its major parts. Most parts have returned, but they are minus Arturo Dubois, as the man in the middle who secured the lane and caroled the team’s most caroms was dismissed from the team. The Jaspers are now a team with a single junior who has started a Division I basketball game.

Manhattan is young and had Dubois stayed he would have only been one of two upperclassmen with experience, but they proved last season they are able to string together numerous wins and become a threat. Where this team lands will frazzle prognosticators all season with their vacillating play.

6. Marist Red Foxes (25-9, 14-4)
Projected starters: Ryan Stilphen, Louie McCroskey, Dejuan Goodwin, Wilfred “Spongy” Benjamin

Brand new shoes: O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Nov. 15-18, ESPN BracketBusters Feb. 23.

Life without JJ: Matt Brady has a new contract and virtually a new team since the nation’s leading assist man, Jared Jordan, and his two highest-scoring cohorts graduated. Gone too is the pressure that comes with being number one. Last season the Red Foxes were the anointed favorites and delivered in the regular season before the MAAC tourney melt-down against Siena.

Marist will not be in that same category this season, but in a league where size is as rare as a spotted owl Stilphen could push this team into the upper echelon of the MAAC.

7. Fairfield Stags (13-19, 10-8)
Projected starters: Jonathan Han, Devin Johnson, Greg Nero, Marty O’Sullivan, Anthony Johnson

Gamey Game: At Wake Forest on Nov. 9, at Cincinnati Nov. 24, at Georgetown Dec. 1.

Wouldn’t be surprised if this is a surprising team: Ed Cooley’s second campaign might consist of the toughest non-conference schedule in the MAAC. But Cooley is armed with graduate student O’Sullivan and a trio of underclassman who have played a full season together and a full season under the Cooley system.

The combination of Devin and Anthony Johnson, who can rely on the junior Han to run the floor could prove to be a potent triumvirate. Senior Geoff Middleton will shore up the middle for the Stags as they look to try to erase their MAAC tournament first round exit from a season ago.

8. Canisius Golden Griffins (12-19, 6-12)
Projected Starters: Frank Turner, Menghe “Papi” a’Nyam, Pawel Malesa, Shaun James

Games to watch: At Penn State on Nov. 16, MAAC conference play starts Dec. 5, Big East power West Virginia Dec. 22, ESPNU BracketBuster Feb. 22.

Novice Lane Patrollers: The Golden Griffins will be without three seniors from last season’s double-digit win team. Coach Tom Parrotta can rely on Frank Turner, the MAAC’s second best assist-er from a year ago, but returns a team second from the bottom in field goal accuracy. Last season the anemic offense was lead by someone who averaged less than 15 ppg, but this season the Griffs lack size and experience in the middle, so discontinuing last year’s scoring blight could be Canisius’ Golden Fleece.

9. Iona Gaels (2-28, 1-17)
Projected Starters: Gary Springer, De’Shaune Griffin, Devon Clarke, Alejo Rodriguez, Kyle Camper

Matchy match match: Las Vegas Invitational Nov. 18-24 first round at North Carolina, at Louisville Dec. 29, at Vandy Dec. 31, at Madison Square Garden vs. Manhattan College Jan. 30.

Where there is a Willard there is a way: Last season’s 0-22 start and 2-28 finish was not a fitting exit for the coach who led the Gaels to three NCAA Tournaments and three MAAC crowns. But Jeff Ruland is out and Kevin Willard, a former Rick Pitino assistant, ushers in a new era.

Iona’s roster is wrought with inexperience and uncertainty. The team’s default leader, Gary Springer, missed all of last season and the highest returning scorer averaged less than eight points per contest. But with the new sideline manager to coincide with the facelift of the Hynes Center’s sidelines the Gaels cannot be worse than a season ago. Should Gaels pent-uple last year’s output it would be a major turnaround for the former MAAC titans.

10. St. Peter’s Saints (5-25, 3-15)
Projected Starters: Todd Sowell, Raul Orta, Tim Spitler, Akeem Gooding, Wesley Jenkins

40 Minutes: Hosting Rutgers on Nov. 25, at Seton Hall Dec. 4, ESPN BracketBusters Feb. 23

New feathers or same story: Last season the Peacocks’ offense scored at a glacial pace and racked up the wins similarly. The previous season’s second-leading scorer and top rebounder Todd Sowell returns to fortify the frontline with sophomore Akeem Gooding. Even with the solid post presence, staying out of the MAAC cellar might be the only realistic goal for the Peacocks.

John Dunne’s second season will require too much from the young supporting cast and senior guard Raul Orta to expect St. Peter’s to return to MAAC significance.

Do the Steve Miller – Dance, dance, dance

This season looks to have two separate packs; the five at the top and the five at the bottom. The five at the bottom will play spoiler and try to avoid the last place distinction while one through five will do the usual jockeying for a MAAC tournament double bye.

Mostly this will be a test for sophomore coaches who look to make their move after a year of practice. As always with the MAAC, as the team with the best guard play goes, so goes to the MAAC. With a total lack of middle men it will be again up to the boys on the wings to will an automatic bid.

MAAC Season Recap

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2006-07 Season Recap

by Matthew Moll

Unpredictability – the sine quan non of college basketball – took a year hiatus from the sport as a whole and from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season.

Marist, prognosticators’ pick for the regular season crown, dispensed all those who threatened the top spot. But the encumbrance of being in the number-one and having to defeat a team for the third time proved too much for the Red Foxes. Marist could not outlast Siena, a team they defeated twice in classic regular season overtime battles, halting the school’s first trip to the MAAC final. The Red Foxes recovered in the first round of the NIT, upsetting the Big 12′s Oklahoma State 67-64. The win was the second straight NIT first round upset by a MAAC school and marked only the third loss in 140 non-conference home games for the Cowboys.

Predictable struggles were also the rule.

Last season’s MAAC tournament finals reps encountered the capriciousness of success, falling to the bottom of the league. This is not unusual for senior-heavy teams, but both St. Peter’s and Iona suffered colossal breakdowns in losing for extended parts of the season. The Peacocks lost 17 consecutive games midway through the 2006-2007 campaign, while Iona was the last team in Division I to record a victory, coming out of the gates 0-22.

Fresh faces on the MAAC sidelines shocked no one by faltering at times as the growing pains of implementing new systems and trying to rejuvenate a crippled program loomed. New coaches from Manhattan, Fairfield, Canisius and St. Peter’s combined for a 29-43 MAAC record and each school finished in the bottom half of the league.

At season’s end there was a bit of surprise as the Niagara Purple Ealges swooped in to claim the MAAC. Niagara’s season began marred by off-season suspensions. But the Purple Eagles recovered to win 12 straight heading into the NCAA tournament. Niagara’s coach Joe Mihalich voiced his displeasure in Niagara’s seed in the play-in game, but the Eagles defeated Florida International 77-69 before losing in the first round to Kansas.

MAAC Tournament Recap

The MAAC tournament was highlighted by Marist vs. Siena the thrice. The pair exchanged blows in two overtime bouts during the regular season, but unlike the previous two match-ups Siena was victorious 86-78. For the second time in two years the MAAC tournament number-one seed was ousted before reaching the final.

In the end, it was Niagara who represented the MAAC in the NCAA’s. The Eagles defeated Rider and Loyola handily and sent back all efforts by the young Siena team to go on to the field of 65 for the second time in three seasons.

Player of the Year: Jared Jordan (Marist)
Co-Rookies of the Year: Frank Turner (Canisius), Edwin Ubiles (Siena)
Coach of the Year: Matt Brady (Marist)
Sixth Player of the Year: Michael Tuck (Loyola)
Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)

First Team:
Gerald Brown (Loyola)
Jared Jordan (Marist)
Charron Fisher (Niagara)
Jason Thompson (Rider)
Michael Haddix (Siena)

Second Team:
Michael Van Schaick (Fairfield)
Arturo Dubois (Manhattan)
Will Whittington (Marist)
Cliff Brown (Niagara)
Kenny Hasbrouck (Siena)

Third Team:
Chuck Harris (Canisius)
Darnell Wilson (Canisius)
Marquis Sullivan (Loyola)
Devon Austin (Manhattan)
Lorenzo Miles (Niagara)

All-Rookie Team:
Frank Turner (Canisius)
Greg Nero (Fairfield)
Antoine Pearson (Manhattan)
Tyrone Lewis (Niagara)
Edwin Ubiles (Siena)

Marist Red Foxes (25-9 Overall, 14-4 MAAC)

Still no MAAC tourney Final, but a win in the NIT: The Red Foxes came into the season as the prohibitive favorite to play in the MAAC tournament final, but the moniker of having “never played in the MAAC final” remains. Marist finished the regular season with eight consecutive wins, having the all-important momentum going into the tournament, but it could not be sustained against a young Siena team who stunned the regular season champs in the tourney.

Marist was able to recover to defeat Oklahoma State in the opening round of the NIT before losing to N.C. State three nights later.

Team MVP: Jared Jordan 8.7 apg,
Top Scorer: Will Whittington 17.5 ppg
Top Rebounder: James Smith 6.0 rpg
Top Assists: Jordan

Starters Leaving: Jordan (graduation), Whittington (graduation), Smith (graduation)
Key players returning: Ryan Stilphen, Benjamin Wilfred

Outlook for next season: The loss of the nation’s leading assist man and the team’s three highest scorers will put Marist in the same position as other previous MAAC winners. The rebuilding effort will center on big man Stilphen, but the Red Fox faithful should expect a significant drop in the standings.

Niagara Purple Eagles (23-12, 13-5)

Twice in three years: For the second time in three years, Niagara represented the MAAC in the NCAA tournament. The Purple Eagles won 12 straight games, including three wins in the MAAC tourney, before getting stomped by Kansas in the first round of the Dance.

Niagara was able to overcome preseason suspensions of six players, including leading scorer Charon Fisher – who was benched by the school for eight games – for assault charges brought last August to be one of the hottest teams in the nation entering the NCAAs.

Team MVP: Charron Fisher, 20.6 ppg., 8.0 apg.
Top Scorer: Fisher
Top Rebounder: Cliff Brown 9.7 rpg.
Top Assists: Stanley Hodge, 4.0 apg.

Starters Leaving: Brown, J.R. Duffey, Lorenzo Miles
Key players returning: Fisher

Outlook for next season: Joe Mihalich and Niagara agreed on a contract extension and Fisher will be back for the entire season which means the Purple Eagles will always have a chance. Brown’s toughness will have to be replaced, but after last season’s short bench and this season’s off-court adversity Niagara is poised to hold to true while they reload.

Loyola Md. Greyhounds (18-13, 12-6)

Two from 20: The Greyhounds were unable to string together more than four consecutive wins, but played well enough all season to be within a sniff of first in the MAAC. Loyola brought their regular season success into the MAAC tournament, tallying the first MAAC tourney victory in the Jimmy Patsos era, but fell to Niagara in the next round. It was the second loss to the Purple Eagles in three tries.

Team MVP: Gerald Brown 22.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg., 1.8 steals per game (first in the MAAC)
Top Scorer: Brown
Top Rebounder: Brown
Top Assists: Brett Harvey, 4.1 apg

Starters Leaving: Shane James (graduation)
Key players returning: Brown, Marquis Sullivan, Harvey, Michael Tuck

Outlook for next season: Jimmy P and company have overcome the proverbial first round MAAC tournament hump, but having a winning season is no longer enough and next season will be this team’s MAAC title to lose.

Siena Saints (20-12, 12-6)

A season of almost: Siena jockeyed all season with Marist, Loyola and Niagara for the double-bye in the MAAC tournament, but the Saints could not close out pivotal regular season match-ups and fell to fourth in the standings. Siena’s inexperience did not prevent them from engaging in some of the most exciting games of the season. The Saints fell twice to Marist in the regular season, both in overtime, but consecrated the rivalry by defeating Marist in the MAAC tournament to advance to the finals. In the MAAC finals Siena pushed Niagara until the closing minutes, but were unable to hold off the Purple Eagles ending its tournament run and season.

Team MVP: Michael Haddix, 16.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg
Top Scorer: Haddix, 16.3 ppg.
Top Rebounder: Haddix, 7.5 rpg.
Top Assists: Ronald Moore, 4.9 apg

Starters Leaving: Haddix (graduation), David Ryan (graduation)
Key players returning: Moore, Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin

Outlook for next season: Losing Haddix will be a major blow, not just in the box score, but in the locker room. Haddix’s battle back from injury may have meant as much as his actual play. But with the return of a core group of sophomores and juniors, maybe next year is next year for the Saints.

Manhattan Jaspers (13-17, 10-8)

Just about as expected: The Jaspers showed signs of promise this season, stringing together a winning streak of six games, but could not put together enough runs to contend with the top teams in the last weeks of the season. Manhattan’s season ended with a loss to Siena in the first round of the MAAC tournament, the third time the Jaspers fell to Siena in three tries this season. The loss marked the second straight season where the Jaspers lost in the team’s first game in the conference tourney.

Team MVP: Devon Austin 12.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg.
Top Scorer: Austin
Top Rebounder: Arturo Dubois 6.0 rpg.
Top Assists: Patrick Bouli, 2.7 apg

Starters Leaving: None
Key players returning: Austin, Dubois, Bouli, Antoine Pearson

Outlook for next season: The second year of the Barry Rohrssen era might be the first season he is coaching a Manhattan team favored to win the MAAC. The return of all major contributors coupled with the attrition at the top should result in a push for MAAC supremacy.

Fairfield Stags (13-19, 10-8)

Improve-isation: First-year coach Ed Cooley inherited a team which lost its leading scorer and could not manage double-digits victories the season before and turned them into a MAAC contender. The Stags hit some snags on the way to upping the MAAC win total, at one point losing five straight from the end of December through the first two weeks of 2007. Fairfield managed to rattle off seven consecutive MAAC wins to end the losing streak and position themselves as contenders. But the Stags were unable to sustain the momentum in the MAAC tournament, falling to Loyola, a team they defeated twice in the regular season, in the first round.

Team MVP: Mike Van Schaick 15.4 ppg., 3.9rpg
Top Scorer: Van Schaick
Top Rebounder: Marty O’Sullivan 5.5 rpg.
Top Assists: Jonathan Han 4.5 apg

Starters Leaving: Van Schaick (graduating), O’Sullivan (graduating)
Key players returning: Han, Greg Nero, Anthony Johnson

Outlook for next season: Cooley’s second season will look similar to his first with a roster full of unproven scorers and guards who are able to distribute. Both Nero and Johnson will need to up their scoring load as Han continues to establish himself as one of the MAAC’s best distributors.

Rider Broncos (16-15, 9-9)

Fully non-interim: In Tommy Dempsey’s first season not as an interim head coach, the Broncos doubled the number of wins from last season. Rider began the season 4-0, but could not match those numbers during the regular season or in MAAC play. The Broncos opened the MAAC Tournament with a win over the lowly Gaels, but lost in the second round to eventual champion Niagara.

Team MVP: Jason Thompson 19.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg.
Top Scorer: Thompson (2nd in the MAAC)
Top Rebounder: Thompson (1st in the MAAC)
Top Assists: Terrance Mouton 4.3 apg.

Starters Leaving: Mouton (graduation)
Key players returning: The Thompson brothers (Jason and Ryan), Harris Mansell, Lamar Johnson

Outlook for next season: Jason Thompson will contend for the MAAC POY honors with a team that continues to improve. The loss of Mouton must be accounted for or else this team, which continues to flirt with its potential, will run its course and Thompson’s years of potential will be exhausted.

Canisius Golden Griffins (12-19, 6-12)

More wins, but not a winning season: The Golden Griffins slotted more W’s than last season’s single-digit performance, but are now six straight seasons without a winning one. First-year coach Tom Parrotta managed to extend the streak of flummoxing first round opponents, but fell in the second round to Marist. The Griffins have not advanced past the quarterfinal round since 2002.

Team MVP: Chuck Harris, 14.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg.
Top Scorer: Harris
Top Rebounder: Darnell Wilson, 7.5 rpg.
Top Assists: Frank Turner 5.6 apg.

Starters Leaving: Wilson, Harris and Herring (graduation)
Key players returning: Turner and Pawel Malesa

Outlook for next season: Freshman phenom Frank Turner was the second-best dime-dropper in the MAAC this season and appears to be a potential force as he matures. Turner was able to make noise with the pass despite the second-worst team field goal percentage in the MAAC. Next season Turner will need new targets with the departure of the three seniors. If no one rises to the new role, the Griffs will continue to languish in the lower rungs of the league.

Saint Peter’s Peacocks (5-25, 3-15)

Offense catatonic without Clark: Scoring machine Keydren Clark’s graduation meant the Peacocks would be without their leading basket maker, but also meant they would be without their spark. John Dunne, taking over for the legendary Bob Leckie, who last season led Saint Peter’s to the MAAC tourney final, was unable to continue the Peacocks’ streak of winning seasons, stopping the streak at four.

The senior-less squad could never get on a track and struggled at all points during the season, losing 17 straight from the end of December to the second week in February.

Team MVP: Todd Sowell 13.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg
Top Scorer: Raul Orta 13.3 ppg
Top Rebounder: Sowell
Top Assists: 3.5 apg

Starters Leaving: none
Key players returning: Orta, Sowell, Akeem Gooding

Outlook for next season: The Saints will return one of the best rebounders in the MAAC next season in Sowell and the rest of the starting five, but this group was the second-worst in record and scoring and will need a jumpstart to the stagnant offense.

Iona Gaels (2-28, 1-17)

From First to Worst: This season was slated as a rebuilding year for the defending MAAC champs, but Jeff Ruland and the young Gaels had the worst start in school history. Iona was the last team in Division I to win a game, beginning the season 0-22. The Gaels managed to lose in creative ways, losing three times in overtime and two others in the closing seconds.

Team MVP: Anthony Bruin (12.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
Top Scorer: Bruin
Top Rebounder: Bruin
Top Assists: De ‘Shaune Griffin (2.0 apg)

Starters Leaving: Bruin (graduation), Justin Marshall (graduation)
Key players returning: Gary Springer, Griffin

Outlook for next season: Rick Pitino disciple Kevin Willard will replace Jeff Ruland, who led the Gaels for nine years to three MAAC titles and three NCAA tournaments.

Willard spent six seasons at Louisville and will be one of six former Pitino assistants to have a D-I head coaching position, including his father Ralph, who coaches at his alma mater Holy Cross.

Willard will inherit a young team that has nowhere to go but up, and by season two will be expected to conjure up his mentor’s recruiting magic.

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

Six teams within striking distance

Over half of the MAAC field is within one game in the loss column from the all-important number-one seed. Currently there is a three-way tie for first and a four-way tie for second heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

No longer an O-fer

Iona’s version of the Fab Five and reliable free throw shooting was the perfect formula for the Gaels first victory of the season. Devon Clarke lead last season’s MAAC NCAA Tournament representative with 19 points as Iona notched its first victory since losing to LSU in the first round of last season’s NCAA Tourney.

Iona defeated Rider 69-57 despite committing 21 turnovers. The win moved the Gaels to a tie in at the bottom of the MAAC win column with St. Peter’s. The Gaels have lost three games in overtime this season and two games by one.

Niagara dominating Canisius

Niagara and Canisius have traded blows since 1904, but the Purple Eagles’ current winning streak is the longest either team has enjoyed during that time. Niagara’s 71-61 win at the Gallagher Center marked the eighth straight over the Golden Griffins.

Hoopville MAAC Player of the Week

Cliff Brown, senior, forward, Niagara – 16.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in last two victories for Purple Eagles.

Hoopville MAAC Rookie of the Week

Frank Turner, freshman, guard, Canisius – 13.3 points and 5.0 assists per game last week.

1. Manhattan Jaspers (12-11 overall, 9-4 MAAC)

Another season, another time in first place: The players and coaches have changed, but Manhattan remains a contender in the MAAC. The Jaspers split their last two games to pull into a virtual three-way tie for first.

Manhattan fell to Niagara 81-70 despite a double-double from Arturo Dubois, who scored 25 points and added 10 boards.

Guy Ngarndi recorded his first career double-double in leading the Jaspers to a 58-51 win over St. Peter’s. Ngarndi scored 16 points and added 17 rebounds in the win.

More MAAC: Rider then Niagara.

2. Loyola Greyhounds (13-10, 9-4)

Could have been alone at the top: Loyola is forced to share first place after two consecutive road losses.

The senior duo of Jared Jordan and Will Whittington combined for 49 points, including clutch shots inside of three minutes, to defeat the Greyhounds 71-66. Sophomore Marcus Sullivan led the Greyhounds in scoring with 18.

Fairfield scored the final 13 points of the game to stun Loyola. The 13-0 run bumped the Greyhounds out of sole possession of first place and into a losing streak. Loyola last scored with 3:33 remaining. Sullivan and Gerald Brown each had 13 points to pace the Greyhounds.

Back in the Reitz: hosting Canisius and then Fairfield.

3. Marist Red Foxes (17-7, 9-4)

Back near first: The Red Foxes re-entered the race for the MAAC double bye with two straight wins.

Senior sharpshooter Will Whittington led the Foxes in its win over first place combatant Loyola by a 71-66 margin in Poughkeepsie. Jared Jordan added 16 and five assists en route to a share of first place.

Whittington went 8-of-15 from beyond the arch and led the Red Foxes with 32 points in a 79-78 win over Rider. Whittington currently stands at sixth in the nation in three-point field goals made.

Will they stand alone? Fairfield and Iona.

4. Fairfield Stags (10-15, 8-5)

Five followed by seven: Fairfield’s last streak was of the losing variety and it lasted five games. The current streak is of the opposite persuasion and is at seven games and counting.

The last two victories have come by slim margins against conference foes. Senior Michael Van Schaick served up a 25-point performance in the 67-63 win over Canisius.

The Stags built and lost several double-digit leads throughout the contest, but pulled away with less than two minutes remaining to force the Golden Griffins to resort to fouling until time expired.

The Stags extended their win streak to seven by defeating MAAC’s one-third of number-one Loyola 65-62. The stags relied on Jonathan Han’s 19 points, including the team’s final five of a 23-6 run, to pull out of a 10-point hole in the last four minutes. The win marked the team’s longest winning streak since the 1985-86 season.

Eight, nine? at Marist then Loyola.

5. Siena Saints (13-10, 9-4)

Barely bouncing back: Siena recovered from two consecutive losses with two straight wins.

The Saints nearly became Iona’s first victim of the season until Kenny Hasbrouck hit a jumper with less than half a second remaining to end the losing streak but continue the Gaels’ futility. Hasbrouck scored all seven of his points in the final three minutes of the second half. Freshman Ronald Moore matched his career high with 19 points to lead the Saints.

Hasbrouck then more than doubled his point output, scoring 17 in the 66-60 win over St. Peter’s. The Saints’ defense forced the St. Peter’s shooting percentage to below 40 percent and held the Peacocks’ leading scorer to 12 points.

Palindrome: At Iona then at St. Peter’s to mirror the previous week.

6. Niagara Purple Eagles (13-11, 8-5)

What can Brown do you for you: The Purple Eagles posted consecutive wins to propel themselves into a three-way tie for second place and a game outside of the first-place tie.

Niagara overpowered the Golden Griffins 79-61. Senior Lorenzo Miles scored 21, while Cliff Brown added his 11th double-double of the season in going for 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Brown scored his 1,000th career point in an 81-70 win over Manhattan. Charron Fisher scored a team-high 27 points in front of the home crowd.

No. 1 seed within sight: At St. Peter’s and at Manhattan.

7. Canisius Golden Griffins (11-12, 6-7)

Loss and loss: Two losses in three days abruptly ended the Griffs’ five game winning streak and began the other kind of streak.

The Golden Griffins recovered after spotting Fairfield 15 points, but could not come all the way back, falling 67-63 at Koessler. Senior Darnell Wilson led the way with his third straight double-double, scoring 19 and grabbing 12 boards. Freshman of the Year candidate Frank Turner added 15 points and four assists.

Niagara made it a losing streak by using a 30-11 run to start the second half to streak past Canisius 79-61. Wilson paced the Griffins again with 16 points.

Run at the top: At Loyola and hosting Niagara.

8. Rider Broncos (12-11, 6-7)

A sniff of .500: The Broncos have dropped two consecutive games after failing to win against deficient Iona and to now-tied-for-first Marist.

The Broncos allowed Marist to hit on 16 of 32 threes but nearly pulled off the upset falling 79-78. The brother duo of Jason and Ryan Thompson spurred the Broncos in the second half, finishing with 22 and 16 points respectively.

Iona avenged an earlier loss to the Broncos, putting Rider down 69-57. Jason Thompson was limited to 28 minutes due to foul trouble and Terrance Mouton sat for disciplinary reasons, eliminating the crux of the scoring attack. Jason Thompson still managed to lead the Broncos with 18 points.

More MAAC: Manhattan and then Canisius.

9. St. Peter’s (3-20, 1-12)

Feathers do not hold water: The Peacocks are in the midst of the school’s longest losing streak after losing leads in consecutive games last week and falling once this week.

The Peacocks fell victim to a Jason Thompson make with 4.2 seconds remaining, which proved to be the last basket in the 54-53 loss. Raul Orta went for 14 to lead St. Peter’s.

The second loss of the week extended the losing streak to 14 after the Peacocks were defeated by Siena 66-50. The Peacocks allowed Siena two double-digit to nothing runs, a 16-0 run to end the first half and am 11-0 run to late in the second, and watched the Saints pull away in Jersey City. Orta lead the Peacocks with 21 points.

The Manhattan Jaspers handed the Peacocks loss number 15 with a 58-51 decision. This is the team’s second 20-loss season in the last five years. Akeem Gooding scored 16 to lead the Peacocks.

Can it be stopped? Niagara and then Siena.

10. Iona Gaels (1-22, 1-12)

It starts with one: The Gaels dropped the moniker of “only-Division-I-team-without-a-win” with a 69-57 win over Rider. The all-freshman starting line-up managed to withstand Jason Thompson’s 18-point effort en route to the first MAAC and overall victory.

Earlier in the week the Gaels came back from an eight-point second-half deficit to Siena and eventually took the lead with less than thirty seconds remaining. But the Anthony Bruin-less Gaels could not hold their one-point lead for the final half second as Hasbrouck’s jumper pushed Iona to its 23rd straight loss. Justin Marshall lead the Gaels with 17 points.

On consecutive nights: Hosting Siena and then Marist.

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

The MAAC is now fully in its conference schedule. Here is how each team has fared up to this point.

1. Siena Saints (8-5 overall, 4-0 MAAC)

Four straight: The Saints’ four-win-to-no-loss conference start has been done so convincingly. As conference play kicks into its longest stint, the Saints are poised to play this season’s best ball. Siena has been consistent all year with the only losing streak occurring after losing the first two games of the season. Comeback player of the year candidate Michael Haddix leads the Saints in scoring putting in 18.8 points per game.

Can it continue: Loyola and Canisius travel to Albany this week.

2. Loyola Greyhounds (7-6, 3-1)

Been here for years: The Greyhounds looked to be in a tailspin heading into conference tilts, but rather than continue the previously poor play the ‘Hounds are now surging. Loyola won consecutive MAAC games decisively. The Greyhounds are led by junior Gerald Brown, who is averaging 22.2 points per game.

Which will show? It will be one versus two when they travel to Albany to play Siena and later welcome Niagara to Reitz Arena.

3. Marist Red Foxes (10-4, 2-1)

Pough-pough: The Red Foxes’ early season five-game winning streak has highlighted the season. That streak included a convincing non-conference win over Minnesota. Marist lost at Loyola last week and defeated Rider to round out their 1-1 week. Jared Jordan leads the team with 18.4 points per game.

A winless and an unbeaten: Iona and Siena are on tap this week.

4. Manhattan Jaspers (5-8, 2-1)

Moving Up: The Jaspers opened the season 4-1, but lost seven of the next eight contests to fall to 5-8. They have temporarily stymied the flow of losses with a two game winning streak. Devon Austin and Arturo Dubois average 12.0 points per game to lead Manhattan.

Conference road: The Jaspers will visit Canisius and Iona next week.

5. Rider Broncos (8-6, 2-2)

Rollercoaster: After starting the season 5-1, the Broncos’ longest winning streak is two and switched between Ws and Ls the past five contests. The Broncos have struggled against larger conference teams, losing by 50 at Notre Dame and by 47 to Villanova, but are proving they can play within the conference. Junior Jason Thompson leads the team in points and rebounds 18.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Home and the road: The Broncos play St. Peter’s and at Fairfield.

6. Niagara Purple Eagles (7-8. 2-2)

Solid start: The Niagara Purple Eagles are winners of five of the last seven, but fell to conference leader Siena in their most recent match. The Eagles managed to recover from a 1-7 start while players worked off preseason suspensions from an off-court incident. The Purple Eagles five starters are all averaging double figures, led by Charron Fisher with 21.6 points per game.

Purple Patrol: Niagara hosts Fairfield, then travels to Baltimore to battle Loyola this week.

7. Fairfield Stags (3-13, 1-3)

Stagnant: Fairfield has lost three consecutive games and six of their last seven. The last two losses have been conference road games where the difference has been but two possessions. Marty Van Schaick is the only Stag averaging double figures at 12.4 points per game.

Conference calls: This week, they are at Niagara and then the Stags host Rider.

8. Canisius Golden Griffins (6-8, 1-3)

Tough times in conference: After losing their first three MAAC contests by double digits, the Griffs got on the conference board with a win over St. Peter’s as they head into heightened conference play. Canisius is led in scoring by senior guard Chuck Harris, who is averaging 14.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Freshman Frank Turner has twice been named MAAC Rookie of the Week. Turner averages 11 points and 4.8 assists per game.

Tom’s first try: Coach Tom Parrotta is slated to meet the meat of the MAAC in his freshman coaching campaign. The Griffs face St. Peter’s and Manhattan as conference play is in full swing.

9. Saint Peter’s Peacocks (3-10, 1-2)

New feathers: The Peacocks are losers of their last five games after winning the first conference game of the season over Loyola. St. Peter’s suffered a 33-point loss to Niagara and a three point loss to Canisius last week. Raul Orta leads the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game while Todd Sowell leads the team in rebounds, grabbing 9.1 per game.

More MAAC: Rider and then a chance at redemption when Canisius travels to Jersey City.

10. Iona Gaels (0-13, 0-3)

From first to worst: The pendulum cannot swing to either extreme further than it has for the Gaels from the welcome sheen of tourney bliss to the dark encasement of an 0-fer. The Gaels are off to an 0-13 start with only the bitter rivals remaining on the schedule. Jeff Ruland and his young club have lost all 13 games by a considerable margin and their closest game ended minus 11 points. Tourney holdover Anthony Bruin leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 11.7 and 6.6 respectively.

Unlucky 13? The Gaels are forced to start their restoration project on the road against Loyola and this season’s preseason power, Marist.

MAAC Preview

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2006-07 Preview

by Matthew Moll

Thirty years of experience has exited the MAAC since the end of last season. Canisius, Fairfield, Manhattan and St. Peter’s are starting anew on the coaching end while veteran players hope to adjust to new systems as new players are introduced the MAAC.

MAAC mainstays such as Iona’s backcourt, which led the Gaels to the NCAA tourney for the first time since 2001, are history. Steve Burtt Jr. and Ricky Soliver have graduated and rival Jeff Xavier has transferred, so a Manhattan versus Iona clash lacks recent implications, but will still have historic consequence. And Keydren Clark, who filled stat sheets for four years, plays his basketball in Greece.

This season is truly a year in flux with little cohesiveness from seasons past to come into the fold for the present. No team is without its own wrinkle which could just as easily spring it to the top of the standings as sink them to the cellar.

Such truisms will merely add to the drama of a tightly contested conference which almost always needs the full slate of games to decide the final seeding to the MAAC tournament.

Hoopville Preseason Awards

All-Conference Team
Kenny Hasbrouck, So, guard, Siena
Jared Jordan, Sr., guard, Marist
Jason Thompson, Jr., forward, Rider
Todd Sowell, Jr., forward, St. Peter’s
Arturo Dubois, Jr., forward, Manhattan

Player of the Year
Kenny Hasbrouck

Defensive Player of the Year
Todd Sowell

Top Newcomer
Gerald Brown, Jr., guard, Loyola

1. Siena Saints, 15-13 overall, 10-8 MAAC, 4th place
Starters: Kenny Hasbrouck, Ronald Moore, Michael Haddix, David Ryan, and James Carr
Big games: The Saints start the season against Stanford and later have an ACC clash with Maryland, but the biggest game of the season could be the last when Marist, a strong candidate for the MAAC crown, and the Saints play on the last day of the season for a possible conference tournament number-one seed.
Prognostications of another world: Last season the Saints were cast-offs destined to spend one season in purgatory with a new coach and without Michael Haddix. But instead Siena was solid thanks to first-year coach Fran McCaffery and Kenny Hasbrouck (12.4 ppg), who was the best freshman in the conference. Now with Haddix back and Hasbrouck with another year of experience, the Saints should leap frog MAAC mainstay Manhattan and then have to deal with the anointed Marist Red Foxes. Kojo Mensah should recover soon from his injuries following a pre-season altercation and will add to Duquesne’s backcourt next year, but the transfer will affect the Saints who he led in assists.

Gone as well is Antoine Jordan, who led the Saints in scoring last season, so Hasbrouck must not have a sophomore slump and carry the load on the offensive end. Help should come in the form of a healed Haddix who will be itching to be back in the fold.

The key will be the play of the point guard. Freshman Roger Moore could be the answer otherwise wings Tay Fisher and David Ryan will have trouble getting open looks and need someone to create.

Overall the Saints’ turnaround should continue with the coach who is making a career out of resurrecting small schools. Siena is one of the teams to beat in a MAAC that should have numerous shifts at the top.

2. Marist Red Foxes 19-10, 12-6, 3rd
Starters: Jared Jordan, Ryan Stilphen, Will Whittington, James Smith, Ben Farmer
The Games: Marist is scheduled to clash with the Big Ten’s Minnesota Golden Gophers and (as mentioned earlier) end the season with Siena.
Sure they could be first: Last season, first-year head coach Matt Brady guided Marist to the highest number of wins since joining the MAAC in 1997. What still eludes the Red Foxes is the MAAC tournament final. This season, the Red Foxes have Jared Jordan (who led the nation in assists), Ryan Stilphen (led team in rebounds), and Will Whittington (15.4 ppg) to attempt to alter the team’s postseason drought.

If Stilphen can emerge as the MAAC’s dominant big man the rest will fall into place for the surging Foxes. Jordan is always solid and Whittington will only have more open looks as Stilphen becomes more assertive.

The Red Foxes will end their painful deprivation from NCAA tournament bids if they are able to allow Stilphen to be the man and if they can find some defense.

3. Loyola College Greyhounds 15-13, 8-10, 6th
Starters: Gerald Brown, Michael Tuck, Hassan Fofana, Shane James, Marquis Sullivan
Who are they playing: Michigan State in East Lansing and two straight conference games against Siena and Marist.
Is Jimmy P for real? Andre Collins’ one year tour of duty jump-started a school with a recent history of embarrassment, but now it is up to Jimmy Patsos to prove it is not a flash in the pan. But he can only write the play, it is up to his actors to execute the lines. The leads will be a pair of transfers, one who played last season under Pastos and the other a first year player out of Providence. Hassan Fofana will have his first full season at Loyola after transferring from Maryland. Fofana was only eligible for half of last season, but managed 5.8 boards per game. The weakness in the MAAC middle should propel Fofana into the MAAC spotlight. Providence transfer Gerald Brown is a 6-4 junior and may moonlight as the next Collins, but first must take advantage of his dominant body over the smaller MAAC guards.

Where the Greyhounds will need to improve the most is on the defensive end, where they gave up a league-high 78 points per game.

4. Niagara Purple Eagles 7-11, 11-18, 7th
Starters: Charron Fisher (when he returns), Stanley Hodge, Lorenzo Miles, J.R. Duffey
Gamers: The Eagles host both Valparaiso and St. John’s during their non-conference schedule. Niagara has a favorable conference schedule with no extended time away from the Gallagher Center.
Biggest Question Mark: Six players were issued suspensions ranging from one to eight games following assault charges on Aug. 31. Charron Fisher will begin his eight-game suspension at the start of the season as others will be staggered throughout.

Until the late August arrests (affecting Lorenzo Miles, Stanley Hodge, Kamau Gordon, Javonte Clanton, and the aforementioned Fisher) this was one of the most experienced teams in the MAAC with one of the most seasoned coaches in Joe Mihalich. The season would have began with Fisher as a question mark coming off of his ACL recovery (the second of his career) and a lack of depth, but as it stands now it will be up to Mihalich to use his savvy to avoid the off-court distractions.

5. Iona Gaels 23-7, 13-5, 2nd
Starters: Kyle Camper, Mike Harris, Kevin Hassett, Anthony Bruin, John Kelly
Game on gamer: The first seven games of the season will be on the road for the Gaels, including games against the Big East’s Rutgers and two Atlantic 10 teams.
Tourney team dismantled: Gaels’ coach Jeff Ruland is prepared to rebuild with a formidable batch of fresh meat, but first what is left in the wake of last season’s run must be considered. Steve Burtt Jr. and Ricky Soliver were the best scoring guard tandem in the country. Marvin McCullough and Kiril Wachsmann were perfect compliments setting up other teammates and cleaning the glass. All have hung up their warm-ups.

Forward Anthony Bruin is last season’s only constant, but will have to improve on his 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game since he is surrounded by newcomers and Gary Springer will begin the season inactive.

Of the newcomers, Kyle Camper is set to take the reigns of the Ruland backcourt. Last season the 6-3 Camper led Cecil (Md.) Community College to the NJCAA Division II national championship.

But with all the new faces in a league with experience at the top, Ruland and Co. will be forced to spoil late if they are unable to contend.

6. Manhattan Jaspers 20-11, 14-4, 1st
Starters: Arturo Dubois, Devin Austin, Antoine Pearson, Patrick Bouli, Darren Johnson
Play here: CUSA power Memphis are scheduled to host the Jaspers and the Jaspers will host 2006 tourney snub Hofstra.
Bobby is Gonz: The backcourt graduated and Jeff Xavier elected to finish his career at Providence, while C.J. Anderson will sit out the season then try again at Xavier University. On top of all that, the man who put the Jaspers on the map is now a Big East coach and a distant memory.

Bobby Gonzalez may have left for a larger conference, but Brooklyn native Barry Rohrssen quickly re-acclimated himself with New York City and filled seven holes that transfers and graduation left him. But his largest inheritance might be the man who patrols the lane for the Jaspers in Dubois. He averaged 15 and nine in 2005-2006 but will need more as the young guards learn to play against the experienced MAAC littles.

Dubois can do a lot on his own, but Rohrssen’s hand-picked youngsters will define the coach’s freshman season.

7. Rider Broncos 4-14, 8-20, 10th
Starters: Terrance Mouton, Harris Mansell, Joel Green, Jason Thompson, Lamar Johnson
The Schedule: The Broncos link up with Big East powers Villanova and Notre Dame. But if Rider is in contention toward the end of the season, they will have four straight road games (three MAAC conference games) to try to clinch a first round MAAC Tournament bye.
No longer interim: Tommy Dempsey coached all season as an interim, but now with a contract and a healthy Jason Thompson, Rider might be this season’s sleeper. Thompson averaged 16.6 ppg last season, but saw limited action at the end of the campaign. Even with the missed games he was named an All-MAAC performer. A healthy Thompson is one of the top two players in the MAAC and Rider always has a shot; without him Rider is a bottom-rung team in a wide-open conference.

Senior Terrance Mouton will run the point for the Broncos, but he only averaged 2.9 assists per game and will need to increase that total as Rodney Pierce (transferred to Buffalo) and Paul Johnson (graduated and led the team in assists) are no longer there to set up teammates. If Mouton is unable to pace the offense then Dempsey will be forced to try his hand with fresh blood.

But if newcomer Joel Green, who played with Iona’s Kyle Camper last season, is as good as expected, his 6-8 frame combined with Thompson’s 6-10 could form the most indomitable frontline in the MAAC, the most coveted of assets.

8. Canisius Golden Griffins 9-20, 6-12, 9th
Starters: Corey Herring, Darnell Wilson, Chuck Harris, Frank Turner, Ola Matti
Who plays who: The Golden Griffins host Syracuse and end the season at home against MAAC opponents.
Can Canisius: Tom Parrotta takes over for the Golden Griffins after five consecutive losing seasons with finishes no higher than seventh in the MAAC. But he also inherits a group of letterwinners and starters who are prepared for a change in direction since the Mike MacDonald era.

Corey Herring led the team in rebounds last season and will be the Griff’s horse now that Kevin Downey graduated. He and Darnell Wilson look to mirror the strong guard play at Hofstra, where Parrotta was a lead assistant before taking the job.

A smooth transition will prove to be the tallest task for the Golden Griffins as the new staff, new coaches, and new approach will attempt to mesh before they fall off the MAAC map.

9. Fairfield Stags 9-19, 7-11, 8th
Starters: Michael Van Schaick, Marty O’Sullivan, Danny Oglesby, Jonathan Han, Herbie Allen
Fields are fair: Ed Cooley will have a homecoming game at Boston College and host Georgetown early. The Stags have a potentially perilous mid-season stretch, playing six out of seven on the road, with all but one of those games in a MAAC contest.
Cooler than Cooley: Stags faithful should be patient with Cooley as this team is starting with little. Terrence Todd and his 18.8 points per game will be missed by more than just the box score. The top returning scorer is Michael Van Schaik, who averaged less than 10 points per contest.

The guard play of Herbie Allen and Jonathan Han should start the offense well, but who will accept the task of finishing remains to be seen. Marty O’Sullivan is back from injury and Danny Oglesby shows signs of being able to light it up, but there are no proven scores on the roster.

10. St. Peter’s Peacocks
Starters: Raul Orta, Todd Sowell, Kevin Spann, Quentin Martin, Kinzey Reeves
Tilts: An early clash with Florida State highlights the non-conference season, while four of the last five games of the season will be played at home.
Team most likely to make writers print retractions: Keydren Clark put together the sixth-most prolific scoring career in NCAA history and nearly ended his career dancing in the field of 65. Clark and his 26.2 ppg ran out of eligibility and Bob Leckie retired.

First-year coach John Dunne, formerly of Seton Hall, is fitted with the task of convincing the remaining pieces to play without a star. St. Peter’s has Todd Sowell, who averaged a double-double and is capable of doing more with his big body and weak MAAC middle. Raul Orta is a 6-4 guard who can bring it and will have more opportunities to show off his range and his driving abilities now that there are more shots to distribute.

But without any of his players proven to be able to win without Clark, expectations are low in Jersey City.

As Always Expect the Unexpected

In just about a month all of what is written and hypothesized will be seen as foolish or unparalleled foresight, or a little bit of both. With this conference and the multitude of nuances, the former seems more likely.

Expect the always guard-heavy league to be dominated by the team with the strongest frontcourt. Thompson, Dubois, Sowell, and Stiphlen are all able to change games by simply stepping on the court. Who does it best will decide who is dancing come March.

MAAC Recap

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2005-06 Season Recap

by Matthew Moll

Rivalries were embittered (pick one), records were set (Mr. Clark), teams were upset (Loyola), others were surprised, others surprised to be disappointing (Canisius), all the while shots that appeared to be sure went clank (Manhattan), some looked good but rattled out (St. Peter’s), and still others beat the proverbial buzzers of eligibly (Iona). In the end only one team carries what the others covet.

This could describe a typical college basketball season and it is, even in the MAAC. This microcosm of college basketball that is the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference espouses all things which make college basketball the ultimate venue to display athletic and team triumphs.

The MAAC embodies such truisms and as a small school conference with a lone representative to the NCAA tournament it allows for a live-in-the-now, carpe diem-type urgency on a nightly basis knowing that seeding in the conference tournament will directly hinge on your team’s ability to win now to achieve the ultimate goal. All ten teams ache to wear glass slippers and each player gives every possession meaning even if the eyes of the nation are not present. Yes, the MAAC is the mini-version of what most see on TV, in fact it scrolls across the bottom of a TV broadcasted live from a small multipurpose gym on the East coast. Those who subscribe to the balderdash that the Big Six is the only real basketball clearly have not watched a MAAC or any conference without the comfort of an at-large.

Siena earned the distinction of MAAC’s version of a Cinderella. The Saints began the season off the radar and with the faux approbation to rebuild and wait. The Saints won enough to earn a bye in the conference tourney and the attention of the MAAC community. A tight contest in the second round was a testament to the Saints season and though the end result was a loss, Siena will be heard from again.

Rider, a year removed from the MAAC final, took an unexpected respite from the ranks of the relevant. For the first time in Rider’s MAAC history (1997-2006) the Broncos failed to post double-digit wins. With a talent like Jason Thompson and a capable supporting cast, the Broncos should be back in the fray, but then again that is what Rider had this season.

And of course what conference would not be complete without a power struggle at the top. Iona and Manhattan dueled throughout the season for the top seed in the MAAC. Manhattan won the battles, defeating Iona at home and again on Senior Night to clinch. But it was Iona who won the war, advancing to the tournament while the Jaspers went to another tournament, the NIT.

As is the nature of Division I basketball the coaching revolving door is not immune to the little guys. This season’s triumph story, St. Peter’s (Bob Leckie), the faltering Fairfield Stags (Tim O’Toole), Canisius, whose season looked much like last (Mike MacDonald), and Manhattan’s flight to the big time (Bobby Gonzalez) are all without this its most recent coach. Next season, new suits will patrol the sidelines.

MAAC Tournament Recap

This season’s tournament featured the beginning and ending of several streaks. Loyola’s turnaround season collapsed in the final possession of MAAC round one to Canisius, 74-72. The Greyhounds remain winless in MAAC postseason play, while Canisius advanced for the third straight season atoning for two regular season losses to Andre Collins and Co. Niagara won a MAAC tournament game for the fifth straight season, defeating Fairfield 84-77. Siena’s pleasant return to the competitive ranks earned the Saints a first round bye, but the sizzle was sustained by St. Peter’s in the second round of the MAAC thanks to a late-game Keke Clark runner ousting the re-sanctified Saints 63-62. Rider closed out its inauspicious season with a brutal finish as they were pummeled by the Peacocks 80-51.

For the first time since the new tournament format was installed in 2003 the MAAC regular season champ did not advance to the NCAA tournament. The Manhattan Jaspers took the two-round bye to the NIT as St. Peter’s marched through the semifinals 84-74. The Peacocks were met in the final by Iona (after dispatching Marist), who took an early lead and did not relinquish (80-61) it until the first round against LSU.

Post season recap

For the second time in three seasons the MAAC had one team in the NCAA tournament and another in the NIT.

The Iona Gaels earned a No. 13 seed after sailing through the MAAC tourney. The reward for handling the MAAC: Final Four-bound LSU and SEC Player of the Year Glen “Big Baby” Davis. Iona was able to keep it respectable in the first half, being down only five at intermission, but the power shifted quickly to the bigger and more athletic Tigers. Lead by Davis’ six second half field goals and 13 boards, LSU burned the Gaels from the floor in shooting 65 to Iona’s 37 percent, which included a miserable 3-of-18 from beyond the arc. Steve Burtt, Jr. led the way with 23 while Ricky Soliver added 14.

NIT representative Manhattan managed two wins in the NIT. In the first round the Jaspers defeated Fairleigh Dickenson 80-77, and in the second round upended Maryland 87-84. Both wins were tightly contested and decided at the free throw line and by the opponents falling short at the buzzer. In the nationally televised game in College Park, Md three Jaspers fouled out in the closing minutes, forcing rarely used reserve Franck Traore to join the heroics. Traore’s game-saving rebound and free throws with 31 seconds set the stage for another Terp miss and another Traore rebound. Jeff Xavier led the all scorers with 31. The Jaspers could not continue to eek out close games as the third round proved to be the last, falling 70-66 to Old Dominion.

Hoopville MAAC Player of the Year
Keydren Clark, St. Peter’s, Sr. G, 26.3 ppg., 4.4 apg., 4.1 rpg.

Hoopville MAAC Newcomer of the Year
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena, Fr. G, 12.4 ppg., 4.3 rpg.

Hoopville MAAC Defensive Player of the Year
Ricky Soliver, Iona, Sr. G, 2.7 steals per game (lead MAAC)

Hoopville MAAC Coach of the Year
Jeff Ruland, Iona

Hoopville MAAC First Team
Keydren Clark, St. Peter’s, Sr. G
Steve Burtt, Jr., Iona, Sr. G
Andre Collins, Loyola, Sr. G
Jared Jordan, Marist, Jr. G
Arturo Dubois, Manhattan, So. G

Hoopville MAAC Second Team
Antoine Jordan, Seina, Sr. G
Jason Thompson, Rider, So. F
Jeff Xavier, Manhattan, So. G
Todd Sowell, St. Peter’s, So. F
Lorenzo Miles, Niagara, Jr. F

Team Recaps

1. Manhattan Jaspers (20-11, 14-4)

Some firsts the Jaspers would have preferred to avoid: The Jaspers were resilient at all points this season sans when a trip to the MAAC final was at stake. Manhattan showed The Signs all season. The Jaspers were able to bounce back from the loss of MAAC 2004-2005 Freshman of the Year C.J. Anderson, defeated eventual NCAA tourney representative Iona twice, and captured the third MAAC Regular Season Championship during Bobby Gonzalez era. All the while, players willingly took on new roles and potentially perplexing losses were simply shrugged off. But for the first time that a Gonzalez coached Jaspers’ team won the MAAC regular season, it did not continue on to the field of 65. The Jaspers had no answer for the St. Peter’s Peacocks, who were rolling while Manhattan rested for two rounds. Winning the regular season did automatically put the Jaspers in the NIT, where they defeated Fairleigh Dickinson and the ACC’s Maryland before bowing out to Old Dominion.

Team MVP: Arturo Dubois, So., F, 15.0 ppg., 8.5 rpg.
Leading Scorer: Jeff Xavier, So., G, 16.6 ppg.
Leading Rebounder: Dubois
Leading assists: Jason Wingate, Sr., 3.0 apg.

Key Losses: Wingate (graduating), Kenny Minor (graduating), Xavier (transferring to Providence), Anderson (dismissed)
Key Returns: Dubois

News: The Big East taketh the Big East giveth backth. Bobby Gonzalez says goodbye to the Jaspers who he guided to three MAAC Regular Season Championships, two MAAC tournament Championships, two NCAA tournament appearances, and one Big Dance win (over Florida 2004). Former Pittsburgh assistant Barry Rohrssen succeeds the Seton Hall-bound Gonzalez. Rohrssen, a Brooklyn native, will look to keep some of his fellow New Yorkers instate now that he has left a program where he recruited the likes of Chris Taft (Xaverian) and Carl Krauser (Notre Dame Academy) to turn football school Pitt into a basketball mainstay.

Outlook: The once-vaunted sophomore class is down to Dubois, but coming into the season with the MAAC’s best big man will be consolation enough for an adept recruiter such as Rohrssen. This will mean little to the MAAC power Manhattan and the Jasper faithful, who have come to expect the W’s, and with a revamped backcourt and Anderson not in the fold the spotlight will rest squarely on the St. Francis grad.

2. Iona Gaels (23-7, 13-5 MAAC)

When it mattered most: One did not need to be the next Sir Isaac Newton to understand the mathematics of the Gaels’ season. The last time a Jeff Ruland-led team went to the NCAA tournament his seniors were seniors in high school (2001). The three previous seasons, this talented group watched while MAAC rivals danced. It was supposed to be “our time” for the Gaels and its tenured tribunal. As it was written so it began. The preseason favorites were acting like it, winning at one of the most unpleasant places in the nation against a ranked team (Iowa State in Ames) and taking a perennial power (Kentucky) to the brink, grazing the “at-large” discussions four months before the madness, sending a resounding message to others in the MAAC. For a brief moment the sweet went sour. Enter the archrival Jaspers, who brought the pain in New Rochelle, “our house” became “our loss,” to which the Gaels recovered emphatically. The seniors went on to win the next seven and 12 of the next 14, setting the stage for The Rematch. This time Draddy was packed and the top two exchanged heavyweight blows, but again the Gaels fell short. Still a chance to earn that one seed, they thought, but those hopes were dashed after a late-season upset at the hands of an inferior foe. Fast-forward to the MAAC tourney and the Gaels refused to be denied: three wins in three days, all by double-digits, and Iona was in the tournament for the first time since 2001. They gave eventual Final Four participants LSU a game for the first 20 minutes, but then the ride ended, but not before seniors Steve Burtt, Jr., Ricky Soliver, Kiril Wachsmann, and Marvin McCullough took their places in Iona history and the Gaels coming through when many others would have been down.

Team MVP: Steve Burtt, Jr., Sr., G, 25.2 ppg.
Leading Scorer: Burtt, Jr.
Leading Rebounder: Kiril Wachsmann, Sr., F, 8.6 rpg
Leading assists: Ricky Soliver, Sr., G, 4.4 apg.

Key Losses: Burtt, Jr., Soliver, Wachsmann, McCullough (graduating)
Key returns: Anthony Bruin, 7.2 ppg.

Outlook: Next season will be rebuilding time for yet another senior-laden MAAC Champion.

3. Marist Red Foxes (19-10, 12-6)

Record number of wins, but just one short: Matt Brady’s inaugural season as the school’s fifth Division I basketball coach brought a record number of wins for the Red Foxes matching the highest output since joining the MAAC in 1997-1998, highlighted by a mid-season surge of eight straight. Despite the milestones, Marist was still in need of one last push. The Foxes have either advanced or been given a bye in the first round of the MAAC tourney all but three times, yet still remain on the outside of the MAAC tourney final. Marist fell behind early to the Gaels in the semifinal and did not recover. Iona’s 100 to Marist’s 84 were enough to send the Red Foxes back to Poughkeepsie.

Team MVP: Jared Jordan, Jr. G, 16.1 ppg., 8.5 apg.
Leading Scorer: Jordan
Leading Rebounder: Ryan Stilphen, So., F, 7.0 rpg.
Leading assists: Jordan (best in the nation)

Key losses: Carl Hood (graduating)
Key returns: Jordan, Stilphen, and Will Whittington (15.4 ppg.)

Outlook: Jared “Dime Drop” Jordan will be back to defend his assist title to a team that will boast experience. Stilphen has two more years of eligibility to become one of the MAAC’s premier big men now that the battle within the once-strong MAAC sophomore class has dwindled.

4. Siena Saints (15-13, 10-8)

Nothing like the ninth circle: Reeling and left for dead after a transfer and a tendon rupture; the Saints were touted as the new cellar dwellers for the MAAC. Then something strange happened: the games were played and by mid-season new head coach Fran McCaffery and Co. had exceeded detractors’ expectations in the process made some MAAC noise. Siena went into the MAAC tourney with a two game winning streak, one over last season’s champs and another over this season’s tourney representative, but could not take the momentum past the MAAC first round. The Saints did end the season winning five of the final nine, but did not have enough against St. Peter’s.

Team MVP: Antoine Jordan, Sr., G, 17.1 ppg., 8.1 rpg.
Top Scorer: Jordan
Top Rebounder: Jordan
Top Assists: Kojo Mensah, G, Fr., 4.1 apg.

Key losses: Jordan (graduating), Mensah (transferring)
Key returns: Nine letterwinners, including Michael Haddix, who will return after red-shirting due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and MAAC Freshman of the Year Kenny Hasbrouck.

News: Levi Osby, who transferred from NJCAA Fredrick Community College during the 2004-2005 season, will not return to Siena next season. Osby averaged 11.8 minutes per game.

Outlook: McCaffery is writing the book on how to turnaround small programs and next season could be yet another case study and the crème le crème of MAAC 180s. If Haddix is able to return to his pre-injured ways and jell with his coach and running mates the Saints have reason to believe that the MAAC crown could return to Albany for the first time since 2002. These of course are big ifs, but doubters have been warned and the Saints have been anointed.

5. Saint Peter’s Peacocks (17-15, 9-9)

Just short of magic: Last-shot-minded Keydren Clark and the rest of the Jersey City Kids did not begin the season with the sense of urgency usually associated with a prolific individual career overshadowed by the lack of success for the whole. Instead, the Peacocks were entrenched in the tragedy after the loss of one of their own, George Jefferson. In honor of the would-be senior, the team went forward and nearly made it to the promised land of 65. First came the blowout of Rider. Next, the cardiac arrest that was Siena. Then the Looming Giant and History: St. Peter’s debunked history on March 5th and sent regular season champ Manhattan to the NIT. Unfortunately for St. Peter’s, storybook endings are not always fit for reality. The run ended as it began: with a double-digit loss, but this time the Peacocks were to head home. SPC did not exit the tournament before Clark set school (which might stand for 100 years) and national records (6th all-time), as well as momentarily being the NCAA all-time career three-point leader (now behind J.J. Redick).

Team MVP: Keke Clark, Sr., G, 3,058 career points, 4.4 assists per game.
Leading Scorer: Clark, 26.3 ppg.
Leading Rebounder: Todd Sowell, Jr., F, 10.2 rpg.
Leading assists: Clark

Key losses: Keydren Clark (graduating)
Key Returns: Sowell and Raul Orta

News: Coach Bob Leckie decided after six seasons with the Peacocks it was his time to pursue other interests. Leckie brought the Peacocks within a sniff of the NCAA tourney in his final season. The school hired Seton Hall assistant John Dunne to succeed him.

Outlook: Leckie turned this team around from a five win team to three consecutive winning seasons. With Clark and Leckie no longer Peacocks the team is set to have an overhaul, which will be on the shoulders of new coach Dunne and the Orta-Sowell combination.

6. Loyola Greyhounds (15-13, 8-10)

Call it a turnaround: The previous four campaigns, the Greyhounds combined for 16 wins. Loyola last posted double-digit wins in 1998-1999 and had not completed a winning season since 1993-1994. Two seasons into the Jimmy Patsos era, the totals speak for themselves. Along with the wins, one-season Maryland transfer Andre Collins, and a revived fan base turned the once national laughing stock into conference mediocrity with the hope for more. Though the strides have been great, the one-stop train of Collins could not advance the ‘Hounds out of the MAAC tourney first round for the first time since 1998.

Team MVP: Andre Collins, Sr., G, 26.1 ppg.
Top Scorer: Collins
Top Rebounder: Michael Tuck, So, F, 6.2 rpg.
Top Assists: Collins, 4.7 apg.

Key losses: Collins
Key returns: Tuck (9.1 ppg.), Shane James (7.8 ppg.) Hassan Fofana (7.8 ppg.)

News: Stephen Stewart, an assistant under Jimmy Patsos last season, took an assistant position at Delaware.

Outlook: Next season will be a test of whether or not Patsos can win without a star. Patsos will have another Maryland transfer for the entire year in Fofana, and if he is able to produce to his potential the Greyhounds could have a solid go-to guy. But without Collins, the offense will have a complete makeover and it will be up to Patsos’ star to shine.

7. Niagara Purple Eagles 7-11, 11-18

The year after Juan: Last season the Purple Eagles recovered from a slow start to earn an NCAA birth. This season the Eagles lost six of the first seven contests en route to the team’s lowest finish since 2000-2001 and the lowest win total since 1999-2000. Niagara struggled with a depleted lineup because of injury, particularly to Charron Fisher, who had the team’s highest average points per game. That left the team to sport the moniker the “Magnificent Seven.” The defending MAAC champs managed a win for the sixth consecutive time in the MAAC tournament before exiting in the second round to close out Joe Mihalich’s seventh season.

Team MVP: Lorenzo Miles, Jr. G, 15.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 rpg.
Top Scorer: Charron Fisher, So. G, 18.3 ppg.
Top Rebounder: Clif Brown, Jr. F, 8.2 rpg.
Top Assists: Stanley Hodge, So. G, 3.8 apg.

Key losses: James Mathis (graduating)
Key returns: Miles, Fisher, Brown, and Hodge combined 59.8 ppg.

Outlook: Next season the Purple Eagles will have one of the most experienced teams, but will have one of the shallowest benches. Next season the “Magnificent Seven” should balloon to around 10, but few will have logged significant minutes, leaving the Eagles’ durability in question.

8. Fairfield Stags (9-19, 7-11)

Plenty of butter not enough rolls: Other than beginning the season and ending the season with four-game losing streaks, the Stags did not slump disastrously or fledge noticeably. Longest winning streak: two. How many times did it happen? Twice, equaling nearly half of the season’s win total, which is far from the necessary output the Stags needed to compete. Fairfield’s offense struggled throughout the season, as the team only had one player average in double-digits and was third from the bottom in scoring in the league. The team’s struggles only slightly improved when second leading scorer Dewitt Maxwell returned from his absence for the first third of the season. The Stags’ stagnant offense and struggle to shore up the middle on D put Fairfield at the lower end of the MAAC for most of the season.

Team MVP: Terrance Todd, Sr. G, 18.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg.
Top Scorer: Todd
Top Rebounder: Dewitt Maxwell, Sr. G, 6.6 rpg.
Top Assists: Herbie Allen, Fr. G, 2.8 apg.

Key losses: Todd and Maxwell (graduation)
Key returns: Allen, Michael Bell (7.8 ppg.)

News: Fairfield decided not to renew coach Tim O’Toole’s contract. O’Toole spent eight seasons at the helm, compiling 112 wins. O’Toole was replaced by former Boston College assistant Ed Cooley. Cooley spent the last nine seasons at BC and the last 10 under Al Skinner, spending one season at Rhode Island.

Outlook: Ed Cooley’s initial priority for his first head coaching job will be trying to find a team to play around Herbie Allen. Allen can create shots for others, but needs someone to do the finishing. While the Stags were unable to put up big numbers, their opponents filled up the stat sheets, scoring an average of 79 points per game, the worst in the MAAC.

9. Canisius Golden Griffins (9-20, 6-12)

More isotope than element: The past five seasons have been losing ones for the Golden Griffins, this season the Griffs failed to reach double-digit wins for the first time in that stretch. In the end Kevin Downey’s career numbers remained impressive, but the effort went for not and coach Mike MacDonald will not return after nine years. The Griffs ended the 2005-2006 campaign winning four of the last seven, including a last-second MAAC tournament win over Loyola.

Team MVP: Kevin Downey, Sr. G, 15.6 ppg, 3.3 apg.
Top Scorer: Downey
Top Rebounder: Corey Herring, Jr. G, 5.3 rpg.
Top Assists: Downey

Key losses: Kevin Downey and Jon Popofski (graduating)
Key returns: Darnell Wilson, Jr. F (12.9 ppg), Corey Herring, Jr. F (14.4 ppg).

News: Canisius named former Hofstra University assistant Tom Parrotta the program’s 22nd head coach. This is Parrotta’s second stint in the MAAC; his first run was with Niagara under Jack Armstrong and Joe Mihalich. This is Parrotta’s first NCAA Division I head coaching position.

Outlook: Next season Canisius returns three starters and 10 letter winners from last season and unless there is a change in fortune for this group, Parrotta will need to work his recruiting magic and hope for the best in season two. Darnell Wilson should emerge as the team’s leader and may make a push for MAAC first team honors.

10. Rider Broncos 4-14, 8-20

In the Interim: Bad news for interim head coach Tommy Dempsey was his first try was a struggle. The good news is that he will have a second after Rider dropped the “interim” title and he was hired as the Broncos head coach.

The former interim’s season began much better than it finished. The Broncos were victorious in four of their first eight contests, falling by only a bucket to small school stalwart Bucknell before buckling at the start of conference play. Rider went on to lose six straight, but recovered for a short stint, winning three of the next four (the best stretch of the season). The once-promising Broncos would falter finishing the season winning one game in 11, concluding the season with a seven game losing streak.

Team MVP: Jason Thompson, So. F, 16.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg.
Top Scorer: Thompson
Top Rebounder: Thompson
Top Assists: Paul Johnson, Sr. F, 3.1 apg.

Key losses: Johnson and Edwin Muniz (both graduating).
Key returns: Thompson and Terrance Mouton

News: Rider named Dempsey head coach in April, officially replacing current Athletic Director Don Harnum, who coached from 1997-2005. Dempsey, 32, is the third youngest coach in NCAA Division I. Dempsey’s first official hire was naming Fred Dupre associate head coach; he has been an assistant for five seasons at Rider.

Outlook: Jason Thompson has the potential to carry this team, but so far potential has not been enough. The combination of Thompson and Mouton has (you guessed it) the potential to be as lethal as any combo in the MAAC, but they will need some help from soon to be sophomore Lamar Johnson to come into his own and compliment the duo.

2006-2007

Forty percent of the MAAC will have someone new drawing the X’s and O’s before the start of summer ball. A total of 30 years of MAAC experience will be replaced with a new crop of coaches on the rise. Gone as well will be the most recent installment of rival New York high schools, the Jr. and the Fohawk, the Gonz, some of the sophomores, and Mr. 3000.

Marist and Siena, two teams who in recent preseasons went through erroneous requiems, look to slug it out with Niagara (if they field a full team) atop the conference. Manhattan should enter the equation around mid-season while the rest are going through major changes and will have an off season of uncertainty.

The conference will still be guard heavy, but with Arturo Dubois, Todd Sowell, and the up-and-coming Ryan Stilphen patrolling the lanes the power may shift to those with power. Until such a shift occurs, the MAAC remains a guard-oriented conference where teams who log the most court time in the past rule the present.

Jordan Classic Recap

2006 Jordan Classic Showcase Future College Stars

by Matthew Moll

NEW YORK – In the latest installment of the Jordan Classic, thoughts of making the jump a la Andre Blatche and Louis Williams are replaced with aspirations of NCAA freshman of the year Tyler Hansbrough, last year’s other MVP.

Georgia Tech-bound Thaddeus Young (Jordan White) and Texas recruit Kevin Durant (Jordan Black) took the first step to such a distinction by sharing MVP honors in the 108-95 exhibition win for Jordan White over Jordan Black.

Young wowed the Madison Square Garden crowd, which included hip-hoppers T.I., L.L. Cool J, NFL Pro-Bowler Warren Sapp, and of course MJ, with a 28-point, 13-rebound (10 of which were offensive) performance. Young showed his athleticism with an array of dunks, the most eye-popping was an open court windmill which gave his team an 11-point lead. While he proved he was a special athlete, Young said he hoped to show he could do more. The “more” included some nifty fade-aways and hitting from beyond the arch.

The 6’10″ Durant ended the contest with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Durant, the McDonald’s All-American game MVP, starts hinted at potential ceiling, “I try to pattern my game after the versatile players in the NBA, because that is how I want people to look at me.”

New Yorkers Edgar Sosa (Louisville) and Curtis Kelly (UConn) received the loudest applause during introductions. Sosa, Rick Pitino’s most recent New York City point guard, hit two threes and scored 13 points for the White team. Kelly finished with six points and five rebounds, including a thunderous early first half dunk.

Perhaps the largest contingent of fans was for Syracuse-bound Mike Jones. When native South Carolinian’s name would be announced over the PA system his fans would chant in unison which would reverberate through the Garden. Jones finished with 16 points.

Future Kansas point guard Sherron Collins received the most positive reinforcement from the crowd with his ankle breaking finesse and precision passing. Early in the first, Collins started the crowd with a no look hook-shot-like alley-oop to DeShawn Sims. In the second, Collins spilt three defenders after cycling through a series of crossover and between the legs dribbles momentarily delighting the MSG crowd. Collins finished the game with 14 points and six assists.

The Jordan White team also received help from future Tar Heel Wayne Ellington, who scored 11, and Michigan recruit Sims with 10 on 5-6 shooting.

Bob Cimmino coached Jordan White to the victory. Cimmino lead Mount Vernon High School in New York to a Class AA state championship, and has coached UConn great Ben Gordon and most recently Florida signee Jonathan Mitchell, who scored 17 in the Jordan Regional game.

A crowd of 9,641 witnessed the all-college exhibition.

MAAC First Round Preview

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference First Round Preview

by Matthew Moll

The Week

One team sits for two, three teams sit for one, and the rest cannot rest if intentions are for tomorrow. Four days from now, the 10-team tournament will tally one touting a MAAC trophy; a testament of the time-honored trial of elimination and success. All others will lament yesterday or enter the optimism of wait ’til. It is time to print that MAAC Tourney bracket and pencil in the victors.

Before the first round is broken down, here’s a look at the more general.

Since the MAAC Championship’s new format was created in 2003 only number-one and number-two teams have advanced to the finals with the number-one seed entering the NCAA tourney field each time.

No team has run the seven-eight gauntlet past the second round since the installment of the new format.

The Unlikelies

Siena and St. Peter’s are on the No. 1 Manhattan side of the bracket. Siena is this season’s pleasant surprise, entering the November with limited expectations thanks to the loss of some once-considered significant parts. Instead, the Saints earned a bye glaring back at critics with a forgot-about-us-did-ya wink. St. Peter’s is missing only one other option before the number one option splashes in the tourney and Mr. Boards So-well has applied for the part. But the giant who lurks is a light sleeper and it will not take long for the mighty Jasper to shake the effects of hibernation and be ready for a battle.

Marist’s high octane offense is run by Mr. Nation’s Assist Leader and a team which game No. 2 Iona a headache once and a loss the second time. Marist can beat any team in this conference given on any given evening.

These unlikely single-bid representatives are a combined 4-8 against the higher seeded foes and will be forced to debunk the trend of the new tourney alignment to go from doubtful to dancing.

The More Than Likelies

Just as postulated in the preseason, the MAAC regular season pitted to two single-bid powers to push until the final day of the regular season. But the drama has yet another chapter to be composed before it is deemed finished.

Less than a week ago, the all important double bye was decided in the Bronx, setting the stage for one final run for a pair of backcourts. A regular season finale featured more than just emotion – it was complete with an early technical, a ruckus visiting contingent, a star on fire, a star being born, a star exiting three possessions too early, and a genuinely euphoric student body flooding an event that was televised only locally.

Enter Phase III: The Albany Event:

It should be Manhattan and it should be Iona.

Neither Iona nor Manhattan will be have the 2-0 curse in mind (defeating a rival thrice in one season is a chore) at tip off, but it may be mentioned at the hand shake.

It will feature Steve Burtt, Jr. who looks up only at his father in Iona scoring history. Burtt, Jr. can add to his Gael and Burtt legacy at this point, and taking his father’s alma mater as his guest to the dance would be quite the swan song. It will feature the dime-dropping, sweet-slashing, Rickey Soliver and his hair. It will feature coach Jeff Ruland guiding his team as a coach where he took them as a player. It will feature the Baby Jaspers whose senior statesman is the Gate to Win. It will feature Bobby Gonzalez who already shed the “but not without insert former star.”

Perhaps something unforeseen happens and it is not Iona and Manhattan.

But perish the thought. These two teams were atop all season, it is they who deserve, but it is also their moment to lose.

Either way, the most recent installment of the All Hallows (and a gentlemen from Rice) versus Rice contingent will be history; so, too will the great battles between true competitors.

Iona’s stars will need to convince the rest to adopt a different sort of killer instinct or this last shot will be just short. But what it comes down to is that Manhattan is the team to beat. This team has been loose and composed at the same time while they seemed to have adopted the nothing to lose attitude as they march to building a three year mini-dynasty.

The Gaels need Burtt to stick around for the end and Arturo Dubois to wait until next season to dominate the tournament if they plan to rescind the recent tourney trend, but it will be the Jaspers who will be the ones making it.

One of 65: Manhattan Jaspers.

First Round

No. 10 Rider Broncos (8-19 overall, 4-14 MAAC) vs. No. 5 Saint Peter’s Peacocks (14-14, 9-9)

If you are a Rider or St. Peter’s fan that happened to be comatose this past week, an evil party may beguiled into believing no time has passed. Last week this same match-up ended in a 77-64 win for the Peacocks en route to a season sweep over the faltering Broncos.

The first meeting of the season was an overtime cardiac fest that needed a Keydren Clark triple-double (first in school history) including 39 points and an 11-3 run to at the end of the extra session to pull out a 104-100 win for St. Peter’s. The most recent, less stimulating tilt was without Rider’s Jason Thompson, who scored a concussion-less 28 points in January.

Although the Peacocks managed a season sweep, one would err in believing it will be a walk for the Peacocks, who hope to advance to the semifinals for the first time in two seasons.

Last season’s number-two seed has the has the lowest seed, but need to beat only one of the top three seeds (number-one Manhattan, a team the Broncos have downed once) to advance to the finals. But before the Broncos consider advancing to the March 6 finale, Siena lurks in the second round. Siena has defeated Rider twice convincingly (21 points is the average losing margin). But first and foremost is the first round, where the Broncos are batting at most .000 against the colorful birds.

Rider can live with Clark’s points as long as turnovers accompany them, but the Broncos will need a healthy Thompson to make it matter and not give up the ball. Rider has the third-worst assist/turnover ratio in the MAAC (0.97) as well as the second-worst turnover margin (-2.19). Rider’s only chance is to shoot well and hope the other team misses more. Many teams can ascertain as much, considering that in the four MAAC wins Rider shot over 45 percent in each win, but was out rebounded in all four as well. Simply, the Broncos do not get second chances (last in the league in o-boards) and must make shots to win.

If St. Peter’s wants to move past the first round Todd Sowell must be a consistent inside presence to compliment the sure to be keyed on Keydren.

Advancing: St. Peter’s

No. 7 Niagara Purple Eagles (10-17, 7-11) vs. No. 8 Fairfield Stags (9-18, 7-11)

The closest seeds, a regular season split and mathematically the toughest row to hoe make for the most intriguing yet most morose engagements of the first round. Intriguing because of the evenly-paired teams down to the identical MAAC records, morose because of the less than surmountable terrain ahead in the to follow.

In theory and on paper, the teams are evenly matched. Paper shows both teams ended the season on losing streaks (Stags three games, Eagles four), both teams won at home against the other, both teams struggle on the road. The victor in the two wins snuck away by an average of 4.5 points while the teams are ranked seventh (Niagara) and eighth (Fairfield) in the conference in scoring.

Theory appears to be balanced as well. The depleted Purple Eagles are dubbed the “magnificent seven,” but may be more inclined to accept munificent basketball help. Absent is Charron Fisher, who has been MIA since a knee injury ended his campaign prematurely for the second time in as many seasons. Gone as well are his 18 points and 7.9 boards per game. Advantage appears then to belong to the Stags, except Fairfield has but one viable scoring option in Terrance Todd, and as mentioned earlier the points are practically a wash. Fairfield’s more balanced attack verses the Niagara top starter-heavy offense thus advantage: push.

Since teams cannot tie further we delve…

Experience seems to be able to trump talent this time of year in such circumstances, so when five seniors are logging at least 15 minutes a game while the other team (Niagara) only has one (total), the balance appears to shift.

This Niagara team, however, is playing in a place where last season (disregarding change in personnel and regular season) they cut down the nets and with a coach in Joe Mihalich who has coached two teams to the MAAC final.

But this game will be decided on the floor by the seniors, and coach Tim O’Toole is summoning his inner Dukie to try to lead the Stags to the final for the second time in four years. The team to start the longest road to 65 will be the Stags, but do not expect the road to continue past March 4.

Advancing: Fairfield

No 6 Loyola Greyhounds (15-12, 8-10) vs. No. 9 Canisius Golden Griffins (8-19, 6-12)

This first round match-up appears to be the most likely to get lopsided, pitting two teams heading in divergent directions.

Loyola finished the season with a three-game winning streak, earning the ‘Hounds the first 15-win season in 11 years. Jimmy Patsos’ second season turned this once laughable program into a high-risk, high-reward success story which will draw clamor from large school suitors come off season.

Canisius, which lost twice to the Greyhounds, ended the season 3-8, including a loss to the Greyhounds. Mike McDonald and company were seeded seventh last season and poised to improve; instead the Griffins ended with the second-worst record in the conference.

Andre Collins is tearing up the MAAC in his only season of eligibility, averaging 26.1 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. The team is getting 13 minutes or more from nine players. For the Griffins, Corey Herring, Mr. 1500-400-400 Downey, and Darnell Wilson often are left to do it alone without enough as an end result.

Canisius has the MAAC’s second-worst point margin, allowing 76.7 points while scoring 72.4. Canisius scores the least and allows the most points per contest while Loyola scores the most out of any team in the MAAC. For the sake of restating the obvious: the team who gives up the most points also happens to score the least is playing the team that scores the most.

Loyola though has not won a MAAC tourney game since 2001. In that tournament, the Golden Griffins were four baskets away from the field of 65. The following season, the Griffs went the semifinals. But Canisius has not seen past the second round since, but have faired better than this Friday’s opponent.

Andre Collins’ ability to fill it up and Canisius’ tepid touch should further push the Greyhounds out of MAAC futility.

Advancing: Loyola

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

Judgment Weeks

Ten teams, each with three games remaining and with little officially set for the MAAC tourney. In the last two weeks, the middle five teams can shuffle into first round byes or the bruising seven-eight seed. Who will be where, to follow.

Game of the week

Bracketology in the interim: Marist at Old Dominion February 18.

Hoopville MAAC Player of the Week

Kevin Downey, Sr., Canisius – Averaged 27.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, while shooting 66.7 percent (including 50 percent from three) this past week.

Hoopville MAAC Newcomer of the Week

Kenny Hasbrouck, Fr., Siena – Averaged 18.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in two league wins this past week.

How the MAAC tournament works (March 2-6 at Pepsi Arena Albany, NY)

Five months, a tournament, and suddenly next year will begin for nine of the MAAC participants. The MAAC is 0-22 against the RPI top 100 and are only 7-27 against the RPI 101-200 (some of which are within the MAAC), which also means no NCAA tournament at-large bids and also means no NIT.

All 10 MAAC teams will be seeded for the four-day tournament in Albany. Matchups in the first round are as follows:

• No. 10 seed vs. No. 5 seed
• No. 8 seed vs. No. 7 seed
• No. 9 seed vs. No. 6 seed

Those who play in the first round will need to win four games in four days to earn the right to represent the Metro Atlantic. Subsequent rounds are then pitted against seeds two through four who are given first round byes, while the number-one seed earns a free pass to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the highest seed the top seed can face is the four seed, and it will only need to win consecutive games to enter the field of 65. This tournament style rewards regular season play while also giving the entire conference a chance to dance.

In the event of a two team tie, according to the conference Web site, “tie breakers are based on head-to-head competition, if there is a split the tournament committee would seed higher the team with the best record against highest seeded remaining teams in descending order as the tiebreaker.” In other words, if two teams split the season series and have the same conference record, the school with the better record against those seeded above will earn the higher seed. After the two-team tie, the clear tournament picture becomes murky. We shall cross that bridge later if necessary.

Some history

This seeding system debuted in 2003, and since its introduction the number-one seed played the number-two seed in the finals in every year. The number-one seed has been victorious each time out.

Prior to the new format, seeds seven through 10 were relegated to the four wins in four days gauntlet. Most recently in 2002 Siena, lead by Dwyane Archbold and Prosper Karangwa, took the seventh-seeded Saints to the NCAA tournament, where the Saints would defeat Alcorn State in the play-in game. The only other school to pull off the four-win upset was Fairfield, who did it twice ten years apart (’87 and ’97) as the MAAC’s eighth-seed.

BEST CHANCE (MAAC), Still in it (MAAC), on the outs (MAAC)

Fight for number one

IONA GAELS (12-3), Manhattan Jaspers (11-4)

Any combination of Iona wins and Manhattan loses that equal three will make the Gaels the top seed for the first time in five seasons. The Gaels’ magic number to have at least a share of the MAAC regular season championship is two, with a magic number of three to clinch sole possession of the top.

If both Iona and Manhattan have perfect weeks, the stage will be set for a winner-take-all show down on the final day of the regular season, Feb. 26. Manhattan won the earlier contest handily by a score of 87-69, but this is when the Jaspers were at full strength and Mr. 1800 Steve Burtt shot 23 percent from the floor and scored 10 points below his season average. The sellout crowd at the Hynes Center saw the Jaspers shoot over 51 percent in the second half en route to a 50-point surge to a convincing victory. Do not expect the same performance by Burtt, who sits 42 points behind the second place spot on Iona’s all-time leading scorers list. This time it could be for the coveted two-round bye and the right to be called MAAC regular season champ.

Numbers two through four

JASPERS (11-4), MARIST RED FOXES (9-6), SAINT PETER’S PEACOCKS (8-7), Siena Saints (7-8), Niagara Purple Eagles (7-8), Fairfield Stags (6-9), Loyola Greyhounds (6-9)

In order for Marist to earn the No. 2 seed, Iona would have to lose out and Manhattan would have to defeat the Gaels on the last game of the season. The Jaspers’ season sweep would then put them at the number-one seed. Iona and Marist would have identical records (12-6), but Marist would earn the tie-breaker by because of the season split with Manhattan. Either way, the Jaspers will not be lower than the No. 3 seed and the Red Foxes are poised for a first round pass.

The Red Foxes appear to be the hotter of the two, having won 10 of the last 12. They are 9-1 when scoring 80 points are more. Marist relies heavily on the three, leading the MAAC in threes made and three-point percentage. Jared Jordan paces the potent offense with a national-best 8.7 assists per game.

Among those who wish to be spectators during the first round is St. Peter’s, and although the Peacocks are currently in fourth, they have hit a rough patch. The Peacocks came into the week winning four consecutive games before losing a tightly-contested tilt to Manhattan, then having it handed to them by Loyola. St. Peter’s has been consistently inconsistent all year. Twice the Peacocks have gone on losing streaks of four games and followed those with a string of wins. They must now finish the season against lower-seeded teams, including two teams trying to play spoiler. For now, the Peacocks have the luxury of controlling their own first round placement.

The remaining teams in the running (Siena, Niagara, Fairfield, and Loyola) will need help.

Siena can essentially knockout Loyola with a win when the two meet this week. If the Saints win, they would then have to defeat Iona and Niagara and hope St. Peter’s loses at least two of the remaining MAAC games on Peacock’s schedule. If the “ifs” come to fruition, the Saints watch in Albany for a round.

The “Magnificent Seven”, as the Purple Eagles and their dwindling roster has been recently dubbed, has a bit more difficult road ahead. The Eagles will need to defeat Manhattan and Marist before a possible showdown with Siena for the final regular season game. They would also need St. Peter’s to lose two because of their 0-2 record against the colorful birds.

Fairfield and Loyola are in need of some loses from all teams previously mentioned as well as three consecutive wins to contend for a first round bye. The Greyhounds can aid their own cause with a win over Siena, but after that the Stags are holding out for good fortune. Fairfield could follow suit by defeating the Peacocks much like Loyola did last week, but then will have to contend with Manhattan and Marist, who are also jockeying for tourney position. Should Fairfield and Loyola end the season in a tie, Fairfield would own the tie-breaker (with a win over Manhattan and winning out). Many other tie breaker scenarios could foment this next week, leaving this group to wonder.

The Bad Seed

The seventh and eighth seeds are in a bit of a quandary. Not only do they end up playing each other, making the consideration for a tiebreaker moot (see above), the ride to the dance will be more taxi than limo. Should either advance out of the first round, the team will be forced to face the No. 2 seed, and if the seeds hold true, would then have to face the number-three and number-one seeds before entering the NCAA tournament.

The rest

Canisius and Rider’s disappointing seasons likely will end with the ninth and tenth seeds as the spoils to seasons which once flickered potential. Canisius did end last week with a surprising win over Manhattan to set them up for one final run at a higher seed, but overall the team with the highest attendance in the MAAC has struggled. In the last 11 games, the Golden Griffins have only managed two wins and went on a six-game losing streak. The Griffins are averaging a conference-worst 70.6 points per game and are near the bottom of the league in shooting percentage. The defense and giveaways are not helping either: the Griffs allow over 76 points per game while averaging 14.0 turnovers a night.

Numbers have been none too kind to Rider as well. The Broncos are second from the bottom in the league in scoring (71.4) and scoring defense (76.1) and have the MAAC’s worst turnover margin (forcing 13.4 turnovers per game while committing 15.8). The numbers explain Rider’s futility up until recently. Since the season-long five-game losing streak, the Broncos have been at .500 – not stellar, but the same level of play early would mean a sniff at a first round bye. Sophomore Jason Thompson and seniors Terrance Mouton are in need of some of last season’s magic if the Broncos plan to return to the MAAC finals, but in the world of reality, magic is fiction and a No. 10 seed has never advanced to the finals, let alone won it all.

The bottom seeds will either face the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the first round, but will not face as impenetrable a road as the No. 8 and No. 7 seeds. If the last seed were to advance, the next match-up would be against the No. 4 seed and would not face the top seed until the semifinal. The No. 9 seed would face the No. 6 seed in the first round and the No. 3 seed in the semifinal.

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

The Pepsi Center Looms

With less than a month remaining, most teams are confined to a certain destiny. A much clearer picture of which team’s previous perniciousness will relegate them to flounder in the first round in Albany will emerge this week. Here are things to watch for:

1. First round byes: First four teams in the MAAC are awarded first round byes. That means six teams would have to run the gauntlet and win four games in four days.
2. Number-5 seed: You heard about the 5/12 upset. This season, a win or loss in the wrong direction could spell an arduous yet fulfilling (see Oakland, the final seed, but same idea, circa 2005) start to the road to Indy.
3. Number-1 seed: Three teams are now in the hunt.

A more complete look at what will shake down the last weeks of the season.

BracketBuster

Iona and Marist will be on ESPN as pettifog with fellow single-bid conference members Buffalo (the other MAC) and Old Dominion (CAA).

The Buffalo Bulls hold a 3-2 series advantage while ODU and Marist have never met. Both games will be on ESPN360 on Feb. 18.

BracketBuster weekend is an event scheduled by ESPN before the season begins, pitting prominent “mid-majors” against one another. The teams are certain they will play, but not certain against whom. This is BracketBuster’s fourth installment.

131 times 3 threes

Keydren Clark continues to fill box scores with makes. His latest milestone put him fifth on the NCAA’s all-time made three-pointers list. Clark went 4-12 from outside to put him in the top five.

Hoopville MAAC Player of the Week
Clark, Sr., St. Peter’s 27.3 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.3 rpg and his team went 3-0.

Hoopville MAAC Newcomer of the week
Devon Austin, F, Manhattan 13.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg. starting for the second consecutive week.

Manhattan Jaspers (14-7 Overall, 10-3 MAAC)
Last week: defeated Siena 63-58, loss versus Niagara 51-67, win over Loyola 86-68

Back in the hunt: Despite going a less-than-stellar 3-2 since the suspension of leading scorer and rebounder C.J. Anderson, the Manhattan Jaspers are atop the MAAC tied with Iona. Bobby Gonzalez’s shorthanded Jaspers (only eight players dressed for the last three match-ups) have received an extra boost from freshman standout Devin Austin, who averaged 13.7 points and 4.3 rebounds, including 19 points in the win over Loyola. Austin has started the last five games for the Jaspers and is adding to the already potent, yet depleted, young lineup. Arturo Dubois and Jeff Xavier each have upped their season scoring averages to 15 points per game this week, previously putting up 10.1 and 4.4 respectively.

The seniors have gotten into the act as well. With the leading assist men out, Jason Wingate has emerged as the team’s leading pace setter, while fellow senior Mike Konovelchick is playing valuable minutes and hitting timely threes.

The Jaspers’ win over Loyola proved they can play still play a balanced brand of ball, as four players scored over 15 points and the team shot 56.6 percent from the field (59.1 percent from beyond the arc). Manhattan will need to continue to fill it up next week against the prolific Peacocks.

Eight men in: Feb. 8 at St. Peter’s and Feb. 11 at Canisius.

Iona Gaels (16-5, 10-3)
Last week: defeated by St. Peter’s 72-76, win over Canisius 95-58, loss to Marist 81-87

Streak snapped: After gliding past seven straight opponents and into first place in the MAAC, Iona is still in first, but the Gaels are forced to share it. Iona’s 1-2 week was supposed to be a chance for the Gaels to capitalize on momentum and defend their home court; instead the Gaels are heading into a three-game road stretch followed by an ESPN BracketBuster with Buffalo at home.

The more discouraging of the two losses this week was to Marist. Iona, like it has all season, answered a large deficit with a comeback, but were unable to completely erase the 15-point margin. The Gaels’ guard tandem of Ricky Soliver and Steve Burtt went for 14 and 28, respectively, and the team shot 51.7 percent from the field. But the Gaels were out hustled on the boards, getting out-rebounded 38-25, and were torched for 54.5 percent from the field.

Burtt did manage his sixth 30-plus point effort against the Golden Griffins earlier in the week. He led the team with 31 and Kiril Wachsmann added 18 while Iona out-scored Canisius 52-24 in the paint. Jeff Ruland’s unyielding defense forced 22 turnovers and scored 33 points to the Griffins’ nine off giveaways.

Leave the past BeHynes: at Loyola Feb. 8, at Fairfield Feb. 11.

Marist Red Foxes (14-7, 8-5)
Last week: defeated Loyola 86-78, loss to St. Peter’s 75-74, defeated Iona 87-81

Two games out: No late season fizzle for the Foxes, at least so far, as Marist went 2-1 last week and evened two season series in the process. Only a runner with 0.3 seconds left stood between the Foxes and a perfect week.

Matt Brady bemoaned his team’s hustle in the last second loss to St. Peter’s, but his team quickly recovered overtaking the first place Gaels at home. The Foxes led early and refused to relive the early previous game’s comeback theatrics, allowing the Gaels to pull within one but not giving up the lead.

Junior James Smith’s career-high 27 paced the Foxes, and he was helped by junior Jared Jordan’s double-double (15 points and 15 assists).

The Foxes are 9-1 in the last 10 games (including an eight game winning streak) and play two underachieving teams this week. It’s “prove it” time for the Foxes, who are within number-one seed striking distance, but they will need help and can’t hurt themselves.

Sure you McCann: hosting Rider Feb. 8, at Niagara Feb. 11.

Saint Peter’s Peacocks (12-10, 8-5)
Last week: W at Iona 76-72, W at Marist 75-74, W over Siena 81-63

Cardiac Kids: Two close ones and a blowout later, St. Peter’s is in the midst of a four-game winning streak with Manhattan coming to town this week. The Peacocks have found a groove, winning games in different ways in this season’s second-longest string of wins.

The first two wins of the week were by a combined five points, including the heart-pounder against Marist. Keydren Clark scored 30 points in the first 39:59.7 of the game, but his last two decided the game. Sophomore Todd Sowell’s 13 points, 12 rebounds (11th double-double of the year) and two blocks kept the Peacocks in the game in the first half while Marist defended home court. The win gave the Peacocks two consecutive character victories on the road heading into a tilt with the Siena Saints.

Sowell’s 12th double-double of the season paced the Peacocks over Siena. Four of Coach Leckie’s starters scored in double figures: Sowell (16), Kaimondre Owes (18), Raul Orta (19) and Clark (23). They shot 61.5 percent in the decisive second half.

Manhattan comes into town limping, so if Kee Kee and Ko. wants to end a career in the NCAA tournament, they know the road to 65 begins with wins against those who stood before.

A game out? Feb. 8 hosting Manhattan, at Loyola on ESPN2 Feb. 11.

Fairfield Stags (8-13, 6-7)
Last week: defeated Rider 77-69 (overtime), defeated Niagara 68-64

A game below: Despite allowing Rider to even the score at the end of the second half, the Stags took control early in the extra session and only permitted one Rider basket en route to the win. Terrance Todd entered the top 10 all-time scoring list at the school with his 20-point game, which included 18 in the second half and overtime.

The Stags won back to back home games for the first time all season after holding the defending MAAC Champions to 5-20 from three point range.

One at the Yard: at Siena Feb. 7, hosting Iona Feb. 11.

Siena Saints (10-11, 5-8)
Last week: loss to Manhattan 63-58, defeated Loyola 89-83, loss at St. Peter’s 81-63

From the heaven above you baby: There may have been tears from above after getting clipped by the Jaspers, but those drops dried on the road against Loyola in ending the Saints’ three-game losing streak. Then the Saints were quickly turned around by the Peacocks, dropping four of the last seven and putting Siena three games below .500.

Antoine Jordan scored a career-high 32 points in the win over Loyola. Siena shot 37 percent from behind the three-point line while holding the Greyhounds to under 35 percent from outside.

The time has come: Feb. 7 against Fairfield, Feb. 12 against Rider.

Niagara Purple Eagles (8-13, 5-8)
Last week: W over Manhattan 67-51, L at Fairfield 64-68

Could not make it three: The 1-1 week was highlighted by a big win over conference leader Manhattan and low-lighted by the loss at Fairfield.

Cliff Brown and J.R. Duffey scored 20 and 21 points, respectively, in the early week win over the Jaspers. Duffy’s flurry of five threes boosted the Eagles into a running for a first round MAAC tourney bye.

In the second game of the week, Brown had a career-high 15 boards and added 22 points in the loss. Niagara could not completely erase the 10-point halftime deficit as the Eagles hit on only 25 percent from the outside.

Cross-town rival: at the Gallagher center vs. Canisus Feb. 8, then Marist Feb. 11.

Loyola Greyhounds (11-10, 5-8)
Last week: L at Marist 86-78, L versus Siena 89-83, defeated at Manhattan 86-88

Not going to say with what it rhymes: An 0-3 week is not good for any team, but for Jimmy Patsos and his Kennel Clubbers these consecutive games in the loss column mean the difference between being two games above .500 and three games below, and from being a second seed contender to a late season question mark.

To go along with the current famine, the Greyhounds have not won on the road in nearly a month (0-6), and the top two teams in the conference defeated them by an average of 19 points, including this week’s loss to Manhattan (the fourth straight to the Jaspers). That leads up to this week’s match-up against Iona.

Return home: Iona and St. Peter’s at Reitz Arena.

Rider Broncos (8-13, 4-9)
Last week: L at Fairfield 69-77, W over Canisius 73-69

Not so fine four and nine: The once-touted sleeper team has fallen asleep as they prepare for mid-term exams. The Broncos were bucked in overtime against Fairfield, but managed to slip by the struggling Golden Griffins.

Terrance Mouton was blanked against the Stags, missing on all 12 of his attempts. Jason Thompson played in the two games, scoring 25 (with 12 boards) and 17, respectively.

No more Z’s? at Marist Feb. 8, hosting Siena Feb. 12

Canisius Golden Griffins (5-16, 4-9)
Last week: Loss to Iona 58-95, loss to Rider 69-73

Six then two, eight of last nine: The Golden Griffins’ are beginning another losing streak not long after ending a six-game skid.

Canisius had no answer for the Gaels’ scoring tandem. The rout was the worst of its kind for the Griffins, who joined the MAAC in 1989. Darnell Wilson led the way in the loss with 17.

Although the week was poor for the team, two individuals surpassed career scoring marks. Senior Kevin Downey surpassed the 1,400-point plateau, while Jon Popofski’s week put him over 800.

From below: at Niagara Feb. 8, Feb. 11 versus Manhattan.

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

No longer alone at the top

Manhattan’s winning streak was snapped and they are no longer the only team called “a first place team.” The longest winning run under Bobby Gonzalez came to a halt after Marist took a 77-68 win at home over the then-first place Jaspers. Ryan Stilphen paced the Red Foxes with 21.

With the loss, the Jaspers dropped to second place tie with Iona. Then there was other news.

C.J. is out

The Manhattan Jaspers also lost the man who leads them in scoring and rebounding, pre-season All-MAAC selection C.J. Anderson. The sophomore forward was suspended by Manhattan indefinitely for academic reasons.

Anderson’s 18.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game made him one of the most frightening players in the MAAC. His offense accounted for 23.3 percent of the Jaspers’ scoring output and he also averages 3.9 assists per game.

More from in the Kee

Clark’s 27 points against Niagara gave him 2,663 for his career, surpassing Wayman Tisdale for 20th place on the NCAA All-Time scoring list. Clark eyes the Admiral next.

Hoopville’s MAAC Player of the Week
Antoine Jordan, Siena, Sr. – 25.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, including his 1,000th career point

Hoopville’s MAAC Newcomer of the Week
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena – 12 ppg., 6.0 rpg.

With just over a month left in the regular season here is a review of how the MAAC has fared so far.

Manhattan Jaspers (11-5 Overall, 7-1 MAAC)
Last week: loss at Marist 68-77, win versus Canisius 78-71.

Too soon to anoint: Suddenly the Jaspers are in a tailspin. After losing for the first time in the MAAC and barely sliding past the lowly Golden Griffins, the fortunes of the Jaspers turned for the worse. As mentioned earlier, leading scorer and rebounder C.J. Anderson is suspended indefinitely by the university. The team will now have to depend on Jeff Xavier and Arturo Dubois to supplement the hole in the lineup.

Dubois played large against Canisius with 18 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in the win. With Anderson out, the Jaspers will have holes on all sides of the ball and in the columns not found in local box scores.

How far will they fall? Jan. 24 Rider, Jan. 27 Fairfield, Jan. 30 Siena.

Iona Gaels (13-3, 7-1)
Last week: win over Fairfield 89-77; win over Loyola 86-68

Six one of fun: Last week, Steve Burtt torched opponents for an average of 28.5 points per game, propelling the Gaels to a five-game winning streak. Burtt also set a school record for free-throws made without a miss (17-17) when he banged out 32 points against Loyola.

Iona was forced to overcome double-digit deficits in three of the last four games (all wins), including the win over Loyola. In the last four games, the Gaels have gotten help for Burtt, scoring over 80 points as a whole. The Gaels are perfect when the offense is working: Iona has a 12-0 record when scoring 70 or more points.

Number one: Jan. 24 at Siena, Jan. 27 at Niagara.

Loyola Greyhounds (11-5, 5-3)
Last week: loss at Iona 86-68, win over Rider 78-76

The turnaround: The Greyhounds’ season continues to improve as more teams in the MAAC see tallies in the loss column via the ‘Hounds. But Loyola’s futility at the hands of Iona remains. The defeat at the hands of Iona was the 11th straight on the road against the Gaels and the 18th loss in the last 19 tries. The win over Rider however, ended a five-game losing streak to the Broncos.

So far this season, Andre Collins cannot be guarded. Collins is averaging 27.4 points per game and nearly five assists as well. Adding to the offense is sophomore Michael Tuck coming on strong of late, now averaging 10.5 points on the season and recording his third double-double of the season against Rider.

Loyola will need more offense from other sources with six of the last 10 games away from the Kennel Club.

Jimmy P: Jan. 24 at the Reitz against Fairfield, at St. Peter;s Jan. 28.

Marist Red Foxes (10-6, 4-4)
Last week: home wins over Manhattan 77-68 and Fairfield 91-72.

.500: Marist slew the mighty Jaspers and hammered the Stags while putting themselves in the MAAC race.

The five straight wins for the Red Foxes have come large in part because of balanced scoring and the three-ball. Jared Jordan, who last week was an assist machine in averaging 11 dimes for the week, is also averaging 15.1 points per game on the season. Will Whittington is averaging 14.8 (hitting eight threes in the win over Fairfield) while Ryan Stilphen (12.6) and James Smith (ditto) round out the double-digit point producers.

The Foxes have five home and five away games to finish the season, setting the stage for a four-team third place race.

Call it seven? Jan. 24 at Loyola, Jan. 27 Manhattan, Jan. 29 Canisius.

Siena Saints (9-7, 4-4)
Last week: wins over St. Peter’s and Canisius

Good week, see you out there: For the first time this season, Siena won two consecutive MAAC games. Senior Antoine Jordan is playing as well as anyone in the MAAC, averaging 18.1 points on the season, shooting over 50 percent from the field and nearly 56 percent from beyond the arc, putting him in the top five nationally in the latter category.

If the Saints intend to keep the momentum, junior David Ryan will need to recover quickly from this weekend’s concussion. Ryan returned to the lineup against Canisius but only managed 14 minutes.

I was way way off: Jan. 24 at Iona, Jan. 28 at Marist.

Saint Peter’s Peacocks (8-9, 4-4)
Last week: Jan. 19 lost 77-69 to Siena, defeated Niagara 79-59.

Streaks are broken: Four straight losses dropped the Peacocks out of first and below .500 for the first time in the conference season before the Peacocks throttled Niagara, ending the streak and pulling even in the win-loss column. The win was a sweep over the defending MAAC champs for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

The week was eventful for KeeKee Clark, who entered the all-time-three-pointers list this week for sixth place (382). But the production by Todd Sowell and Raul Orta will need to improve if the Peacocks intend to contend for second. Sowell is cleaning glass well this season, averaging 9.9 boards per game and has 32 blocks on the season. If Keydren expects to make the most of his last month in his prolific career, he will need to bring his team along.

Kee Kee: Jan. 25 hosting Marist, Jan. 28 versus Loyola.

Fairfield Stags (5-11, 3-5)
Last week: loss at Iona 89-77, loss at Marist 91-72, won at Loyola 80-72.

Coming soon: Senior mainstay Terrance Todd continues to escalate his point average, most recently with a 30 point effort in a loss to Iona that upped his average to 18 per contest. Todd is not the only one elevating his game for the team’s future gain. Freshmen Herbie Allen and Jonathan Han came off the bench to score 16 and 17 points receptively in the loss to Iona. Allen is also shooting 49 percent from beyond the arc.

Perhaps the most welcome performances have come from Geoff Middleton, who is averaging four boards a game, including a seven-rebound effort during the week.

Mobile, active, eventful, lively: Jan. 27 Manhattan and Canisius Jan. 29.

Niagara Purple Eagles (6-11, 3-6)
Last week: win at Canisius 93-84, loss at Rider 70-78, loss at St. Peter’s 79-59.

Could use Juan (Mendez): Already this season, the Eagles have surpassed last season’s total of MAAC losses in a sluggish first half. Last year at this time, the Eagles record mirrored its current try at 6-3, surging into second place. Now the Eagles are on the outside looking in. Niagara is disconnected from a three-team race which was theirs to behold a season ago, and currently are reeling.

Despite having all five starters average in double digits (led by Charron Fisher at 19.4 per game), the Eagles are being outscored by the opposition with 72.8 versus 75.4 points per game. On paper, the Eagles are scoring enough, but are giving up too many unforced possessions. In the last two games, both losses, Joe Mihalich’s club is averaging 17.5 turnovers, including 21 against St. Peter’s.

Five of the Eagles’ remaining contests will be played at the Gallagher Center, with two games against the current top two teams in the MAAC.

Then versus now: hosting Iona on Jan. 27 and Rider on Jan. 29.

Canisius Golden Griffins (4-13, 3-6)
Last week: Loss to Niagara 84-93, loss at Manhattan 71-78, loss at Siena 55-76.

Five not alive: Over the past five games, the Griffins have lost five times and one does not have to be a mathematician to know that Canisius is struggling. The culprit of the struggle: turnovers, which over the last six games the Golden Griffins are averaging 17.2 giveaways a game and 14.3 on the season.

The Griffins’ inability to hold onto the ball may not be as glaring as any individual’s ability to establish an inside presence. The team’s leading rebounder (5.2 rpg) is the generously listed 6’6″ Darnell Wilson, who averages one block per contest.

Canisius has seven games remaining on schedule, all MAAC games and four of which are in Buffalo.

Six and seven or one and two or one and one: Rider and Fairfield.

Rider Broncos (5-11, 1-7)
Last week: def. Niagara 78-70, loss at Loyola 76-78

One for the win column: So far this season, Tommy Dempsey’s team has managed one MAAC win, a game where they had to come from 20 down to scratch for the victory. Rider’s seven MAAC loses have been by an average of 11.9 points, and in those losses the Broncos shot above 50 percent from the field only once. They were also out-rebounded in six of the seven losses by at least five rebounds, and on the season the Broncos are allowing 77.4 points a game while opponents shoot 45.4 percent from the floor.

Sophomore Jason Thompson leads the team in scoring (16.3), rebounds (8.5), and minutes played (33.1). Thompson has also collected a team-high five double-doubles.

Coincidently, the highlight of the season was a loss. The Broncos gave upset-happy Bucknell a scare, taking the Bison down to the final seconds, but ultimately leaving with the worst kind of victory – a moral one with a 56-54 setback.

The Broncos’ conference struggles of late have not been late in games; it is the beginning where Rider cannot develop a rhythm. Rider was down by as many as 20 and 19 in the first halves of the last two match-ups; in both games the Broncos roared back and split the next two comebacks.

Two good halves? Jan. 24 Manhattan, at Jan. 27 Canisius, at Jan. 29 Niagara.

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

They are back

Ten straight wins (including a perfect 6-0 MAAC record), blemishing some spotless records, and vindicating predictors will put you back in the spotlight. For now that spotlight rests squarely on the Manhattan Jaspers.

Manhattan is in the midst of their longest winning streak under Bobby Gonzalez, and the Jaspers find themselves winning games by outplaying teams and by winning ugly. First, the Jaspers blew out a pair of MAAC unbeatens, then followed those performances by barely getting by Rider and Siena.

Either way, the young Jaspers are alone at the top, leaving the MAAC searching for answers to the Bobby Gonzalez riddle.

Land of Ru

Iona head coach Jeff Ruland won his 125th game at Iona with a win over Canisius. Right now his Gaels are second in the MAAC with the most experienced, and arguably the most dangerous, roster in the conference. In his seven-plus seasons at his alma mater, Ruland has lead the Gaels to two MAAC championships and two NCAA appearances.

Ruland did it as a player too. Ruland was a two-time All American during his sophomore and junior campaigns as a Gael. His career highlights included aiding the Gaels to a number six ranking and going to consecutive NCAA tournaments. He was selected in the second round of the 1981 NBA Draft. In the NBA he would go on to averaged 17.4 points per game and 10.2 rebounds over 322 games. His career was cut short because of a knee injury in 1987. In 1993 he was hired as an assistant to the Philadelphia 76ers.

He plays a little defense too

Keydren Clark has a chance at surpassing the likes of Pete Maravich and Oscar Robinson with his scoring this season, but this past week added to his St. Peter’s lore by becoming the school’s all-time steals leader. Clark’s four-steal effort against Iona was a losing one, but put him atop the take-away board for a career.

Player and newcomer of the week

Andre Collins, Sr., Loyola: Can’t stop this guy (see below)

Game of the week: January 19 a potential sleeper between St. Peter’s and Siena.

Manhattan Jaspers (10-4 overall, 6-0 MAAC)

A year hiatus: After taking a season off from dominating the Metro Atlantic the Jaspers have the early grip on the conference’s top spot. In the first two weeks of conference play the Jaspers have answered all types of game situations and are now alone at the top.

Last week the Jaspers faced a pair of those in the MAAC winners-only club and emerged from the weekend alone with such a distinction. First, on January 6 the Jaspers would face the tested and talented Iona Gaels at the Hynes Center in New Rochelle. Arturo Dubois paced Manhattan in the 87-68 win with his first collegiate double-double, scoring 21 points and cleaned 14 rebounds. Manhattan opened the game with the lead and would retain it throughout.

The Jaspers would next face St. Peter’s at home. After a start which featured unforced turnovers and blown lay-ups, the Peacocks sprung out to a 9-4 lead. But the Jaspers would quickly shake off the Sunday morning sleep and push the lead to as many as 21 in the second half before cruising to a 95-82 shootout win. Four of the starting five were in double-figures all over 15 points, led by C.J. Anderson, who scored 24.

Manhattan carried an eight game winning streak into this past week, where they would play conference rivals Rider and Siena. The sophomores ruled the roost in the 87-81 win over Rider. Jeff Xavier scored 25 points to match his career high, while Dubois and Anderson added 23 in the win. The Jaspers were able to come back in the second half despite being out-rebounded and shooting only 31.6 percent from beyond the arch. The ninth consecutive win marked the longest winning streak the Jaspers have had under Bobby Gonzalez.

The Jaspers ended the three-game home stand with a come from behind win over Siena. Manhattan needed a Jason Wingate runner and a Mike Konovelchick steal and free throws to seal the win. Konovelchick lead the way with 19 points, pacing the four Jaspers who scored in double-digits. Dubois’ 12 points and 10 rebounds gave him his third double-double of the season.

12 straight? Marist Jan. 18 and Canisius Jan. 20.

Iona (11-3, 5-1)

A taste of March: The Gaels were unable to match Manhattan in a possible MAAC championship preview, ending their MAAC winning streak. They began anew against defending MAAC champions Niagara, where the senior leaders combined for all but 16 points in the 73-55 win over the Purple Eagles. Steve Burtt had a game-high 19 points.

Burtt poured in 37 points (27 in the second half) on the road against St. Peter’s to give the Gaels an 83-75 victory. Iona needed to overcome a 19-point St. Peter’s bulge before claiming win number three in the MAAC season.

Burtt followed his career night with a point off of his career night, netting 36 in the 88-73 road win over Canisius. Ricky Soliver added 23 in Jeff Rutland’s 125th career win. The Gaels out-shot Canisius 57 percent to the Griffins’ 44 percent in the third straight road win.

126 and 127? Jan. 17 versus Fairfield and Jan. 10 vs. Loyola.

Loyola, MD Greyhounds (10-4, 4-2)

Fluke you say: The team who won too little is now third in the conference, as the Greyhounds began the first major conference run with a three-game winning streak. Andre Collins has put on a show in his MAAC performances. The Maryland transfer is averaging 29.8 points per game over the last four, including a 29 point scorcher against Marist that included nine threes. Over the past four games, the ‘Hounds are 3-1 with an 82-70 win over Niagara and a 78-75 buzzer beater (by, yes, Mr. Collins).

This past week rounded out the rest of the MAAC schedule thus far for Loyola. The first game of the week was a 95-80 handling of Canisius. Mr. Second-Leading Scorer in the Nation went for 26 in the road victory.

Loyola was unable to make it four straight, falling to Niagara and splitting the closely scheduled meetings. Collins went for 36 and Shane James added 11 points and four assists in the loss.

Time to make a move: at Iona Jan. 19 hosting Rider Jan. 22.

Fairfield Stags (5-9, 3-3)

Some call it a sequence: No winning streaks or losing streaks to speak of for the Stags so far in the early part of the conference season. The Stags began with a loss to Canisius 84-73 and then bounced back, holding on to defeat Rider 85-81.

The Stags followed the opening week with a week which resembled the previous: a loss followed by a win. Terrance Todd’s 18 points and eight boards were not enough to overcome the second half deficit presented by Niagara as the Stags fell 78-73.

Todd scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half to pace the Stags over the St. Peter’s Peacocks to give the Stags a .500 week. Herbie Allen and DeWitt Maxwell each added 15 in the win.

Will a new pattern develop? Jan. 17 Iona and Jan. 20 at Marist.

Canisius Golden Griffins (4-10, 3-3)

Streak halted by streak: The Griffins were in the midst of a three-game winning clip when the surging Greyhounds bounded into Buffalo to end the run and start another that Canisius has found to be less fond. Kevin Downey made his 100th consecutive start for the Golden Griffins and scored 22 in the 95-80 shootout. Four of the five Canisius starters recorded double-digit points.

The Griffins would drop the next home game, turning the ball over 22 times in the 88-73 sprint off. The Griffins could not stay with the senior guards who scored 59 of the total points. Junior Chuck Harris led the Golden Griffin scorers with a career high 20.

This week: Niagara Jan. 17, at Manhattan Jan. 20, at Siena Jan. 22

Saint Peter’s (7-8, 3-3)

From first to five hundred: After failing to keep step with the conference leaders, the Peacocks slipped from unbeaten to .500. First, St. Peter’s allowed Iona to overcome a 19-point second half lead allowing an opportunity to cease control of second in the MAAC slip. The 83-75 loss marked the first on the Yanitelli Center home floor of the season. Kee kee Clark lead all scorers with 28.

For the second time in as many games the Peacocks would lead early and fold late at home to a MAAC foe. This time, the culprit was Fairfield, who overcame Clark’s 34 and the rest of the Peacocks’ second-half lead, 81-75.

.571: Jan. 19 at Siena and Jan. 22 at Niagara.

Marist (8-6, 2-4)

Tick tack toe: Three straight wins and Marist looks less the second half breakdown of last year. The Red Foxes used Will Whittingon’s career-high eight trays to push past the surprisingly average Siena Saints, 85-77. Whittington was not the only one sparking the nets for Marist, as a team the Foxes hit on 60 percent from the field and 57.7 percent from the arch (15 threes in all).

Marist followed that win with another, completely outplaying Rider 89-66, defeating the Broncos for the first time in six tries. Junior Jared Jordan handed out a career high 15 assists, while senior Carl Hood scored 22 in the win.

Who’s next: Jan. 18 vs. Manhattan and Jan. 20 vs. Fairfield.

Siena (7-7, 2-4)

Victims of circumstance: The Red Foxes could not miss and Manhattan cannot lose, and thus the pleasantly surprising Saints were dealt a losing streak.

The Saints lost for the first time this season at the Pepsi Center to Marist 85-77. Antoine Jordan and David Ryan each scored 17 points in the short end of the score.

The Saints let the Jaspers steal one on Sunday when they collapsed in the second half, losing 77-74. Kojo Mensah led the way with 19. The Saints could not hold even after having the first half lead erased, retained (down by 11), and retained again and despite out-rebounding the Jaspers 33-24.

Saints and Saints: Jan. 19 St. Peter’s and Jan. 22 Canisius.

Niagara (5-9, 2-4)

Reminder of a season’s past: Two consecutive MAAC wins and the Purple Eagles can now feel whole again.

Niagara began the weekend with a second half surge to defeat Fairfield 78-73. The defending MAAC champs scored the last six points of the game to decide the difference. Six Purple Eagles scored in double-digits, led by J.R. Duffey who went for a game-high 19. The Purple Eagles hit on 12 threes, eight of which came in an 8-12 scorching first half.

Niagara was able to stunt the flourishing Greyhounds with a 75-72 win. Sophomore Charron Fisher had a double-double (26 points 11 rebounds) to march the champs to victory.

We are the champions: Jan. 17 at Canisius, Jan. 20 at Rider, Jan. 22 at St. Peter’s.

Rider (5-9, 2-4)

Far from first but not really last: Rider hung around for most of the Manhattan loss before falling 87-81, a fifth consecutive dropped game. Jason Thompson and Edwin Muniz each scored 20 in the effort.

Rider followed that with a sixth straight loss, losing to Marist 89-66. The Broncos’ fell behind late in the first half and did not recover, having a deficit as high as 25.

Relief in sight? Hosting Niagara Jan. 20 and traveling to Loyola Jan. 22.

MAAC Notebook

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Notebook

by Matthew Moll

Still a single bid

Conference play is upon us and now the MAAC’s season will begin. The previous two months has been relegated to preseason largely because MAAC participants were unable to deliver any big-ticket upsets to large school juggernauts. Georgetown, Villanova, Kentucky, Seton Hall, Syracuse, and Florida (regrets to overrated Iowa State), to name a few, all escaped the small school syndrome, leaving the MAAC to lament its single bid for another season. Now the slugfest can commence for MAAC tournament seeding and the push for the sole automatic bid.

Wait… isn’t this the team lost like 75 in a row?

Well not quite 75, but it was substantial (31). Let’s not kid ourselves: each team has played a max two conference games, but the Loyola Greyhounds are playing as well as any team who has not had season with double-digit wins in the country. Jimmy Patsos is turning his pseudo-Maryland team into the MAAC’s emotional representative come March. Eleven-losing-seasons-and-counting appears to be in danger of losing its later moniker.

Too early, but may be the only chance to toot said horn

Iona, Manhattan, and St. Peter’s are 2-0. A certain Hoopville writer chose these teams to compete throughout. Here they are; who knows if it will hold.

Fairfield’s Maxwell is back

Senior guard DeWitt Maxwell was activated Dec. 23 after having to sit out the season up to that point. Maxwell became eligible after Fairfield reevaluated his status through the Office of the Dean of Students. Maxwell was forced to sit after being declared ineligible for a violation of the Student Conduct Code. Maxwell scored 13 points in Fairfield’s Dec. 30 win over Cal State Northridge.

Hoopville Player and Newcomer of the So-Far-This-Season
Andre Collins, Sr., Loyola 24 points per game.

Game of the week: Battle of the MAAC unbeatens Jan. 6 Manhattan at Iona.

Iona Gaels (7-2 Overall, 2-0 MAAC)

Where they belong: As expected, the senior-heavy Gaels are atop the MAAC and looking for more. The Gaels began the season with a seven-game winning streak, including a 2-0 start in the MAAC. The 7-0 mark matched the Gaels’ 1984-1985 start. Most notably, the Gaels defeated a ranked team for the first time in two years, upsetting then No-23 Iowa State in the American Family Insurance Cyclone Challenge in Ames, Iowa, also known as the toughest home court in the Big 12. After faltering in a 67-73 heartbreaker to college powerhouse Kentucky, the Gaels’ next game began the first losing streak of the season as they fell to Seton Hall 59-73.

The 2-0 MAAC start includes wins over last season’s MAAC tournament runner-up Rider followed by a victory over the Marist Red Foxes. Iona used a 25-2 run in the second half to seal the game early over the Broncos. Ricky Soliver’s team-high 19 points included his 1,000th career point in the 80-59 blowout. The second MAAC win was a character game for the Gaels, who spotted the Red Foxes a 10-point lead in the second half before junior Justin Marshall’s three-pointer put his team ahead for good at 79-76. Steve Burtt led the way with 28.

Burtt is second among all MAAC in scorers at a 23.9 point per game clip, while Soliver is second in steals (3.1 per game) and assists (5.2 per game) and is second in the nation in hair, sporting a Kendall Gill-meets-Billie Joe Armstrong mohawk. Team captain Kiril Wachsmann leads the Gaels with 8.0 rebounds per game.

This week: Jan. 3 at Fresno State, Jan. 6 Manhattan, and Jan. 8 Niagara.

Manhattan Jaspers (6-4, 2-0)

An early season of streaks: Bobby Gonzalez’s crew played the part of a young team in starting the season 0-4. But now, they are in the midst of a six game winning streak, which has put the Jaspers at the top of the MAAC. Manhattan’s 0-4 start was a shot away from being 1-3, taking intrastate mainstay Syracuse to overtime and nearly propelling the Draddy dwellers into national prominence. But the Jaspers did not need “almosts” in the past six games, all of which were wins.

The streak began with a 90-79 win over Marist, which meant a 1-0 MAAC start for the Jaspers. Senior Jason Wingate stopped the losing and started a new career scoring mark in leading Manhattan with 33. Manhattan was able to stave off the Foxes’ runs with a season-high 61.5 percent shooting from the field. Only two days later, the Jaspers traveled to Baltimore to squelch the suddenly dangerous and once unbeaten Loyola Greyhounds. C.J. Anderson’s double-double paced the Jaspers (20 points, 12 boards).

Manhattan since has rattled off four more wins, defeating North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Fordham, and St. Francis (NY).

So far this season, the sophomore Anderson has led his team in scoring at 19.7 per game, leads the MAAC in rebounding at 10.6 per game, and is also the team’s leader in assists with 3.4 per game. Three other starters are averaging double-digit points: Jeff Xavier (14.1), Wingate (12.8), and Arturo Dubois (11.2).

The transit strike is over: Jan. 6 at Iona on ESPNU, hosting St. Peter’s Jan 8.

St. Peter’s Peacocks (6-5, 2-0)

Brought back to life: The Peacocks are another team needing to recover from a rocky start before vaulting back into contention. St. Peter’s began the season losing to three teams who will be playing in the field of 65 come March in Florida (currently unbeaten), Pittsburgh, and Seton Hall. The Peacocks were able to recover from the 0-4 start and go on a five-game winning streak, which was halted by UMass at the Panasonic Holiday Festival in New York City, 66-49. St. Peter’s was consoled in the following game with a 63-56 win over Columbia.

Included in the Peacocks’ five-game win streak was a 2-0 start in the MAAC with wins over Canisius and Niagara. Sophomore forward Todd Sowell paced the Peacocks with 19 points in the 69-64 Dec. 9 win over Canisius. It took overtime and Keydren (Kee Kee) Clark’s fifth 40-point game of his career to beat Niagara for the first time since 1999, 86-84. The last time the Jersey City kids defeated both Canisius and Niagara on the road was 1995 – the same season St. P’s won the MAAC tourney and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

The wins are coming despite Kee Kee’s slight struggles. Clark has labored a bit from the field, averaging 3 points less than his nation-leading average of a year ago, but still leading his team at 22.9 points per game. Clark’s shooting percentage has taken the largest hit: so far in 2005-2006, he is shooting a pedestrian 35.5 percent. He has not shot this low since his freshman season, when was good on 39.6 percent for the season. But Clark has seen some improvements, as he is connecting with more frequency from the free-throw line: 91.5 percent compared to 83.5 from a season ago. Clark is still dishing well, hitting his teammates an average of 4.2 times a game. Clark is getting help from Sowell, who is averaging 13.0 point per game in his second season at St. Peter’s, and Raul Orta, the transfer from Puerto Rico, is scoring 10.8 per game.

MAAC 4-0? Jan. 4 Rider, Jan. 8 at Manhattan.

Loyola MD Greyhounds (7-2, 1-1)

Not your brother’s Greyhounds: Already the Greyhounds have surpassed their win total from last season and are on pace to win more this season than the last two combined. The season began unlike the others in the recent past: with a winning streak, a five-game winning streak at that. After the unbeaten run, the Greyhounds ran into the Manhattan Jaspers and the Virginia Cavaliers, and into the first Loyola losing streak of the season. Before anyone could mention the historic (rhymes with freak) the Jimmy Patsos led his team to two more wins, defeating VMI and Delaware, bringing the Greyhounds record to where it is today.

The MAAC schedule has brought early challenges to the Kennel Clubbers. First, Loyola traveled to Fairfield and went into an extra session to win on the road 90-85. The Greyhounds hit 16 threes to set a school record in the win. Andre Collins led the way with a buzzer-beater to send the game into overtime, finishing the game with 23. The win started Loyola 1-0 for the first time in MAAC play in 10 years. On Dec. 11, Loyola lost a game for the first time, falling to Manhattan 85-73 at Reitz Arena. Loyola was led by Maryland transfer Andre Collins’ career high 39 points, hitting six threes in the loss.

Transfers from Patsos’ last coaching job have changed the make-up of the Greyhounds. Maryland transfer Collins has been a pleasant addition and has been the Greyhounds difference maker. Forward Hassan Fofana played four games last season for the Terrapins before becoming a Greyhound. Fofana has started all three games he has played in and is now the team’s second-leading scorer (14.0 ppg) and is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game.

MAAC minus the M, one A, and double the C’s: Jan. 3 at Providence, Jan. 6 vs. Niagara, and Jan. 8 versus Marist.

Siena Saints (5-4, 1-1)

Better than advertised: It is early but if Siena began the season 0-9 few would speculate past another single-digit win season. Since it’s a successful start, skeptics immediately question the validity of the record, but either way the Saints are a win away from matching last season’s win total and many believed matching that total would be an accomplishment. The Saints have done it by defeating Patriot League power Holy Cross and last season’s MAAC champ Niagara as well as three other unsuspecting opponents.

Siena’s MAAC contests include a 76-74 win over Niagara and a 67-50 loss to Canisius. Kojo Mensah scored 29 points in the come-from-behind win at Niagara. Antoine Jordan went for 16 while Kenny Hasbrouck added 15. Thirty-seven percent shooting decided the latter game for the Saints as Cansisius forced the Saints to a 1-1 record.

Sophomore Kojo Mensah is leading the way for the Saints. He is averaging 19.4 ppg and 7.0 rebounds per game. Mensah also recorded the school’s first triple-double in a win over Albany. Jordan is the team’s leading rebounder at 8.8 per game and is averaging 17.2 ppg.

Angels play basketball: Jan. 5 vs. Fairfield, Jan. 7 Rider

Canisius Golden Griffins (1-8, 1-1)

The one win was an important one: It could be worse for the Griffins. Canisius’ one win this season gave Mike MacDonald his 100th career win and for now keeps the Griffins in the early MAAC picture. The Buffalo private school began the season 0-5, and after the lone win Canisius has dropped two straight.

The Golden Griffins’ two MAAC games were split between a loss against St. Peter’s and a win over Siena. In the 69-65 defeat by the hands of the Peacocks, Darnell Wilson scored 22 points and had 12 rebounds. Wilson, Kevin Downey and Chuck Harris each scored double-digits (16, 12, 15 respectively) in the 67-50 win over Siena.

Downey is averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while Wilson is averaging 13.7 points and 5.4 boards per game.

101: Jan. 3 at Brown, and Jan. 5 at Marist.

Rider Broncos (4-5, 0-1)

Again, it’s early: Rider’s early schedule has pitted the Broncos against some of the toughest teams in single-bid conferences (Drexel, Boston University, and Bucknell, who defeated the Broncos in the final seconds) and also a Final Four contender (Villanova, no it was not close). The result was a 1-4 (win over America East’s Boston University) start, from which the Broncos have since recovered to be a game below .500 heading into intensified league play.

In the lone MAAC game of the season, Rider fell 80-59 to league favorite Iona. Terrance Mouton paced Rider with 14.

Most improved candidate sophomore Jason Thompson is averaging 15.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Thompson all but disappeared during the Iona game, taking only four shots and scoring six points. Thompson has shown flashes early and should be prepared to assert himself now. Senior Edwin Muniz and Mouton, a junior, are averaging 13.5 and 11.8 points per game respectively.

Yeeeehaaaa: Jan. 4 at St. Peter’s and Jan 7 at Siena.

Fairfield Stags (2-7, 0-1)

He’s back: Dewitt Maxwell is back, and his team is back in the win column after the Stags defeated Cal State Northridge 66-65. The only other win of the season for the Stags was an 80-68 decision over Tulane.

In the only MAAC game so far this season, the resurgent Greyhounds took out Fairfield in overtime in Bridgeport. Seniors Terrance Todd and Michael Bell scored 21 and 19 in the loss.

Fairfield’s fortunes are poised to change with the return of Maxwell. Last season, Maxwell averaged 11.3 points per game. With his return, the Stags will have five players averaging double-digits at Tim O’Toole’s disposal. Terrance Todd is averaging slightly less than last season, but is still the team’s leader at 13.2 points per game.

Remember 1986: Jan. 5 versus Siena and Jan. 7 versus Canisius.

Marist Red Foxes (5-4, 0-2)

It starts with three: The Red Foxes are in the middle of an early season winning streak, except this season the winning is not happening at the front end of a MAAC schedule. The Red Foxes defeated St. John’s (56-53), St. Bonaventure (69-51), and Florida Atlantic (84-75) during the current string of wins.

The MAAC record may look better now that the Foxes have found a groove. So far, losses at the favored Manhattan Jaspers and against Iona are mere blemishes considering the preseason spectrum of expectations for all three teams.

Four Red Foxes average double figures, led by junior Jared Jordan with 15.7 per game.

Back in the MAAC: Jan. 8 vs. Loyola.

Niagara Purple Eagles (3-7, 0-2)

Fall from the top: Starting the MAAC title defense with a six-game losing streak is not what Joe Mihalich envisioned, and beginning the MAAC season losing to last season’s last-place team and beginning the season in MAAC’s cellar are hardly ideal.

The 0-2 record is also deceptive. Both losses were decided in the closing minutes of each game. Siena dropped Niagara 76-75 as the Purple Eagles allowed a second half vice grip on the game to loosen: Siena stormed back and closed out the game in the final 30 seconds. Sophomore Charron Fisher led the Eagles with 19. It took overtime and 42 points from Keydren Clark for St. Peter’s to defeat the new-look Purple Eagles. James Mathis’ double-double (16 points and 17 rebounds) was the highlight in that loss.

Not too far: Jan. 6 at Loyola and Jan. 8 at Iona.

Post-NIT Season Tip-Off

What’s Happened Since the Start?

by Matthew Moll

Three weeks after the tournament formerly known as the Preseason NIT the four teams that qualified to play at Madison Square Garden are a third of a way through their respective seasons and looking ahead to conference play. Two teams are poised to take over conference top spots while two others are looking to March as must-stops.

Drexel

Drexel’s promising 0-2 Thanksgiving weekend vaulted them into the national spotlight but did not lead to immediate fortune.

The Dragons were picked by many to finish seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association, and while coach Bruiser Flint does not believe in moral victories, Drexel competed throughout the Thanksgiving weekend and had a chance to win both contests.

The Dragons put on display the one-two punch of Bashir Mason and Dominick Mejia. In the 78-68 loss to Duke, the duo shined. Mason ran the team to precision, executing on fast breaks and hitting big shots. Mejia showed range and his ability to get to the basket against the Blue Devils although he was not wearing his own jersey. The North Carolina State transfer finished with 25, 14 of which came in the tightly contested first half.

Another half, and it was another story for the Dragons as they struggled on the perimeter and could not find a way to stop J.J. Redick. The Dragons did manage to lurk until the 7:40 mark, before Duke remained ahead by double digits until time expired. Drexel’s first effort to defeat a number one team in the nation was valiant, but not quite enough.

If the first game was disappointing, the second was a punch directly in the stomach. Again the Philadelphia team played a highly-ranked opponent basket for basket in the first half, leading 28-26 at intermission. The second half was closer, and with less than five minutes remaining Drexel was up 54-50 compliments of a Mason three. At that point, UCLA would make their comeback and Drexel would see their last field goal of the contest.

Two possessions swayed the outcome. With the game tied, Mason was unable to handle the Chaz Crawford inbounds pass, which set the stage for a foul on Drexel with .8 remaining. That led to a UCLA win as Jordan Farmar made the second free throw.

Mejia did not start because he was late for a meeting and ended up being a non-factor. Frank Elegar and Kenell Sanchez picked up the slack, finishing with 13 and 14 points respectively. Mason showed his resiliency hitting tough shots while having an off shooting night, and he emerged as the solidified battle tested leader of the Dragons.

“I’ve always said if he wanted to he could be the Most Valuable Player in our Conference,” Flint said of Mason. “His play actually made us much better than I thought we would be at this time.”

Drexel showed they can play with any team in the nation, but needed to do more to prove it to their coach.

“I’ve been harping on playing a little bit smarter,” said Flint of his team’s overall performance for the weekend. “I think not playing smart is the thing that cost us two games.”

Critics may have looked to pencil the Dragons in a shade better than seventh in the CAA after the long weekend at Madison Square Garden, but Drexel will still need to close out games, which would elude the Dragons over the next couple of weeks.

The day after the Preseason NIT the Dragons fell to cross town rivals Penn 68-60 dropping a third straight. Life would not improve for Drexel in the immediate future, as the Dragons would lose two more non-conference games to extend the losing streak to five.

The first of these non-conference tilts was a ten-point loss to St. Joseph’s, followed by a 62-50 head-scratcher to La Salle. Against St. Joe’s, Mejia disappeared in 17 minutes, and against La Salle he hit only on 4-12 field goals in 34 minutes of play.

Mejia reappeared once conference play started and so did Drexel to the win column. The Dragons started CAA play 2-0 with victories over James Madison and Old Dominion. Mejia scored 21 and 27 respectively in the wins aiding his team to a .500 record.

Mason has seen his point total plunge, but in the two conference wins he is averaging 7.5 assists, including 11 in the 61-42 win over ODU.

Now that conference play is entering serious mode, small schools like Drexel can no longer wait for a learning curve or time to jell, or the next test against a larger school. The next test decides conference seeding, which dictates tournament dreams.

If Flint is able to tame his Dragons and continue to excel through the conference season, the holiday week’s lessons were worth the punch.

UCLA

The Bruins escaped the Black Friday weekend with a split, barely besting the upset minded Dragons for third place.

But the weekend began with the Bruins having to claw back against the athletic and perimeter-proficient Memphis Tigers. In the first few minutes out of the MSG tunnel, the Bruins were still adjusting to the unseasonably mild New York weather and came out cold. The first half did not bode better for the Bruins as it progressed, falling behind by as many as 20 and having no answer for the Memphis front court.

Another half, another chance for the program that John Wooden built, which translated to another opportunity for the sophomore duo of Jordan Farmar and Aaron Afflalo to show how well the pair can play against one of the best teams in the nation.

UCLA was able to use the weapon they could not quell against Memphis to make it a game. Farmar and Afflalo combined for all seven of the Bruins’ three balls. But the effort would be for not as UCLA pulled to within six, but no closer in the 88-80 loss.

Farmar finished the game with 28 (23 in the second half) points and seven assists, while Afflalo finished with 14 points and six rebounds.

Farmar did not have a performance near his career high in the consolation game and Drexel was able to linger until the clock read 0.8 seconds. The L.A. native finished the contest going 1-10 from the field with eight assists and four turnovers.

UCLA was able to overcome an early nine-point deficient and a low scoring night from the team as a whole to sneak past Drexel, but show their resolve in the win. Farmar was fouled with less than a second remaining and the score knotted at 56. Farmar was sent to the line where he airballed one and nailed the next closing out the contest.

“I had to laugh about it,” Farmar said of the all-air shot. “It helped me relax and I knocked it down and we got out with a win.”

The Bruins have not looked back since the Tip-Off. Most notably UCLA posted quality wins over Nevada and the once undefeated Michigan Wolverines. Those who frequent the Pauley Pavilion know injuries have plagued the Bruins early this season, but UCLA continues to prevail and it only appears to be looking up.

Guard Josh Shipp is set to return to Ben Howland’s lineup after recovering from hip surgery and the once deplorable interior defense has come to life.

After the Preseason NIT Howland lamented his team’s ability to defend the frontcourt. “The big guys were a problem for us,” Howland said. “We will have to double more than we would like.”

But the Bruins were able to squelch the inside game of the recently rejuvenated Wolverines, particularly Courtney Sims. Sims was averaging 15 points per game before he was permitted only two field goal attempts and six points.

Overall the Bruins’ season has started off well. They are lead by two (soon to be three) young guards and have a backup who remind some of tournament legend Tyus Edney. The crude reality is that the Bruins are winning games they should win. In the only game where the Bruins were overmatched, the result was a loss. Outing an unchallenged Temple team, an upstart in Nevada, and a the long languishing Wolves may look better on paper than it does in the grand scheme, but all UCLA can do is play those who are on the schedule and so far the Bruins are the second-best team in the Pac-10. They meet Washington on January 14.

Memphis

Highly-touted players have left the Memphis program early for a wide spectrum of reasons (Sean Banks, DaJuan Wagner) or they never arrive (Amare Stoudemire, Kendrick Perkins). While top tier teams have left Conference USA, the recruits keep coming and now the Tigers appear to have a group that, at least for this season, will continue to compete.

The first half in New York the Tigers looked like Sinatra: Smooth. Real smooth. Freshman Shawne Williams, who finished the game with a season slash career-high 26, missed only three attempts from the field and was the team’s sparkplug. Forward Rodney Carney controlled the middle and hit on 2 of 5 from beyond the arch, extending the UCLA defense and pushing the Tigers’ lead to as many as 20.

Although the lead shrunk, Memphis held fast and did not relinquish the lead and advanced to the Preseason NIT finals, where they would give the consensus number-one team in the country a legitimate preview of a Final Four showdown.

Duke and Memphis played the best game of the Thanksgiving weekend, placing two of the best freshman classes in the country on the same court. This would also be a test for Memphis for the first time this season, trying to slow a one-two punch, namely that of Shelden Williams and POY candidate JJ Redick.

The Tigers did not get the same phenomenal offensive performance from Williams or Carney, but others found shots and the two handled difficult defensive assignments (Redick for Carney and Sean Dockery for Williams) to put them in position to have a chance to win at the end.

The first half ended 42-41 in favor of Duke and the second half would be nearly as tight. The NIT Season Tip-off came down to two plays which decided the game with less than 20 seconds left.

Shelden Williams’ put back off a missed lay-up nearly sealed the game, but Lee Melchionni was fouled after a Memphis misfire and he was unable to make either of his two free throws. The second was rebounded by Dockery who was fouled and closed the scoring at 70-67.

“The last two games were effort plays,” said Memphis coach John Calipari. “Their toughness just got to us.”

Memphis played Duke as tough as anyone has all season at that point and since. Redick was held scoreless in the second half and Dockery was quiet for most of the game before his timely shooting reappeared the game became Shelden William’s to win and Memphis’ to lose, Memphis came just short.

Since the loss to Duke, the Tigers have gone unbeaten in five games, winning by an average of 18.6 points.

The freshman conglomerate of Williams, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Antonio Anderson, and Kareem Cooper has combined for 43 points per game and are logging significant minutes through the win streak.

Although Memphis continues to climb in the national rankings, some of this early success can be attributed to big-name losses and small-time wins for the Tigers. The young Tigers sport a starting five of two sophomores and two freshmen. Right now they are winning games handily, but will host their most highly touted opponent since Duke on Jan. 6 when they battle Gonzaga.

Memphis may be the only bid for CUSA this year, but this one bid could be the third team in four years to reach the Final Four from the conference.

Duke

The Dukies of Durham have been ranked number-one since before the season started, and the nation understands why.

The NIT Season Tip-off final four Duke was a formable test for the Blue Devils as the ability to win close games and win without having perfect games from the entire cast were challenged.

In the win over Drexel, Mike Krzyewski’s team received its usual support from senior stalwarts J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams. Redick scored 31 and Williams added 20 and nine boards. Freshmen Greg Paulus, Josh McRoberts, Martynas Pocius each contributed in the win. Paulus had five assists, McRoberts went 5-for-6 from the field with six rebounds, and Pocius added seven points in relief for the Devils.

But the player who Coach K considers the best athlete on the team, DeMarcus Nelson, went down in the first half of the Drexel game with a fractured right ankle.

Duke still came out on top and did not let the loss of Nelson negatively impact the rest of the weekend. The Cameron Crazies took to Madison Square Garden and replicated an East Regional-like atmosphere as the two top-10 nationally ranked teams exchanged blows. At the end of the fight, Shelden Williams took home the hardware and Duke won the tournament for the second time in as many attempts. Williams went for 30 and eight while staying out of foul trouble and capitalizing on what the defense was giving him while they keyed on Redick. Although one of the stars was held in check, another out, and Dockery was cold, the Blue Devils would not be denied. Paulus again came up with huge assists (eight) and Dockery’s frosty shot turned lukewarm at an opportune time to help seal the tourney win.

The last time the Blue Devils won this invitational was in 2000. Later that season, the same team, led by a senior star and a trio of sophomores, went on to win the NCAA Championship. Senior leadership (2005′s Redick and Williams to 2001′s Shane Battier) and young talent (2005′s McRoberts, Nelson, and Paulus to 2001′s Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Jr., and Carlos Boozer), the same coach and considerable early season W’s make for a compelling allusion and a temptation to flirt with fate.

But Coach K would not bite when asked about the similarities.

“No I don’t see any. That team had five or six future NBA players on it,” he reflected. “We had Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Boozer, Chris Duhon. I think I might cry.”

Laughs supplanted the question, but come March if this team continues to produce the comparisons will be pressed.

As it is, the hits keep on coming for the consensus number-one team in the nation. Assembly Hall and a career night from Indiana’s Marco Killingsworth would not deny Duke’s run. A last-second heave by Dockery kept the unbeaten season in tact and gave the Devil’s a 1-0 ACC start. They pasted number-two Texas by 30 and most recently put up their first 100-spot on the season in shellacking Valpo 104-77.

The Blue Devils have a weaker ACC to face this season and have the combo of Redick and Williams setting pace. The only weakness of this team is the reliance on the two seniors, although they proved they can win when one is off, if both are off someone new will have a chance to enter Duke lore. Although he has expanded his scoring to off the dribble, Redick still must use his outside shot to set up the rest of his offense. Memphis showed he is containable, but Memphis also proved you cannot focus exclusively on Redick. For now, Redick is auditioning for Player of the Year and playing the part well.

Needless to say Duke is on a roll, and they are doing it with the veterans and with a bit of a youth movement. For now are the most unbeatable team in the country.